FEASIBILITY OF POPULATION-BASED SCREENING IN IRELAND

Population registers have formed the basis for computerised call/recal l registers for screening programmes in many countries and have been i mportant in achieving high uptakes in targeted populations. The absenc e of a population register for the ECCLES (European Campaign against C ancer, Localisation, Evaluation & Screening) Breast Screening Project necessitated the development of a special register of women in the tar get age group. The data sources used to build the project register wer e the Eastern Health Board and North Eastern Health Board General Medi cal Services database, Voluntary Health Insurance data and self-regist ration with the project. The register captured 86.3 per cent of the ta rget population. A debate on the merits and difficulties associated wi th the setting up of a population register in Ireland is now timely.