EVALUATION OF THE NEW-SOUTH-WALES CANCER COUNCIL PAP TEST REMINDER SERVICE

This study aimed to assess the effect of reminder letters on Pap test rates for women enrolled on the New South Wales Cancer Council Pap Tes t Reminder Service and to identify predictors of response to the lette r. Ten weeks after they had received their reminder letter a questionn aire was sent to 3086 women. It was completed by 1525 (49 per cent) wo men, of whom 1393 (91 per cent) said they had received their reminder letter. Of these 1393, 48 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 46 per cent to 51 per cent) reported having had a Pap test within 10 wee ks of the reminder letter arriving. The proportion of women having a P ap test in response to the reminder letter did not differ by age, regi on of residence or language spoken at home. Women were less likely to have had a Pap test if they did not know how they were enrolled, were of low socioeconomic status or had some tertiary education. Women on t he reminder service have 15-month rescreening rates at least 9 per cen t higher than other women in New South Wales; for women aged 50 to 69 in nonmetropolitan areas the increase is estimated at 19 per cent. Rem inder services may be a cost-effective way to increase Pap test rescre ening rates. Reminder services need accurate records and to follow up changes in address and date of next test.