CERVICAL-CANCER SCREENING IN CANADIAN NATIVE WOMEN - ADEQUACY OF THE PAPANICOLAOU SMEAR

Cervical cancer mortality remains high in Canadian Native women in Bri tish Columbia. Underutilization of the Provincial Cytalogy Screening P rogram by Canadian Native women has been documented. Another potential factor is the quality of specimens obtained. Proportions of unsatisfa ctory smears and smears lacking endocervical cells, which reflect the sampling technique, were compared between Canadian Native and other Br itish Columbian women. The findings suggest that differences in the qu ality of cytologic smears do not explain the observed discrepancy in c ervical cancer mortality between Canadian Native and non-Native popula tions.