Estudo PRECIT – Prevalência de citologia cervical atualizada e fatores associados em enfermeiras e médicas da ULS Alto Minho

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of current cervical cytology (CC) among nurses and physicians and to investigate the association between the current CC and other factors. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Alto Minho Local Health Unit (ULSAM). Participants: Nurses and doctors from ULSAM between the ages of 25 and 60 years. Methods: Data collected using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire with 11 questions. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi squared tests to compare proportions, and t-tests to compare means between groups. Results: We obtained 397 replies for a response rate of 47%. Among the respondents, 80% were nurses, 68% worked in the hospital, 53% were followed in the Primary Health Care Centre, 99% had current CC, and among 68% of these, CC was not done by the family physician. There was a statistically significant association between younger age and current CC, and between current CC and follow-up at Primary Health Care Centre. Conclusions: The prevalence of current CC in this population is higher than that in the general public. The correlation between current CC and younger age maybe explained by the fact that these professionals are more alert to cervical pathology or feel less uncomfortable with this examination. The association between current CC and follow-up at Primary Health Care Centre maybe due to advice from the family doctor or perhaps they are more concerned with prevention of disease and screening. Further studies will be needed to confirm these results.