Health written question – answered at on 19 September 2002.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of UK women participated in the National PAP Screening Programme, broken down by age groups (a) under 30, (b) 31 to 49, (c) 50 to 59 and (d) 60 to 64 years, in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
holding answer
The national computerised call/recall system for cervical screening was introduced in 1988. Women aged 20 to 64 are invited for a free cervical screening test every three to five years. Women over 65 are invited if their previous two tests were not clear or if they have never been screened.
The coverage of the screening programme is defined as the proportion of women aged 25–64, excluding those "recall ceased" for clinical reasons, who have had a test with a result at least once in the previous five years. The national target across the age range is 80 per cent.
The information requested is shown in the table.
England | percentage | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age at 31 March | 1997 1 | 1998 2 | 1999 2 | 2000 2 | 2001 2 |
under 30 3 | 80.2 | 80.4 | 79.6 | 78.6 | 77.0 |
30–49 | 86.5 | 86.4 | 86.1 | 85.7 | 84.9 |
50–59 | 85.2 | 83.9 | 84.3 | 84.3 | 83.9 |
60–64 | 78.4 | 76.7 | 77.3 | 77.6 | 77.6 |
Source:
Department of Health Statistics Division 3G: Return
1 Based on resident population less recall
2 Based on resident population less recall ceased for clinical
3 As women may be first called at any age between 20 and the coverage is calculated on women aged 25-
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