A HOSPITAL-BASED STUDY ON THE USE OF PARAMEDICAL PERSONNEL FOR CLINICAL DOWNSTAGING OF CANCER CERVIX

Two auxillary nurse midwives (ANMs) were recruited and trained to reco gnize normal and different types of abnormal cervices. A total of 2102 women were examined by a gynaecologist and ANM independently and thei r findings were noted. Comparison of their findings showed an overall agreement of 89.6 per cent (Kappa 0.84 with standard error of 0.015 an d a significantly large Z value of 55.6). Gross examination of 4679 wo men attending the Gynaecology OPD revealed normal cervix in 49.6 per c ent and suspected lesions or malignant cervix in 3.4 per cent of women . Cytology smears were taken in 3608 women. Adequacy of smears was 97 per cent. Comparing the group clinically diagnosed as highly suspected or malignant to the cytologically diagnosed suspected group (atypical and malignant), clinical examination had a sensitivity of 81.7 per ce nt and specificity of 97.3 per cent; while comparison of the group cli nically diagnosed as abnormal cervix to abnormal cytology (all grades of dysplasia, atypical and malignant cells), the clinical examination bad a sensitivity of 92.5 per cent and specificity of 37.4 per cent. I t was concluded that paramedical staff (ANMs) can be relied upon to do speculum examination in women in the community and take cytology smea rs in selected cases.