Trends in Pap test practices and results: An 11-year review of the annual ACHA Pap Test and STI Survey

ABSTRACT

Objective: To conduct a trend analysis of Pap test practices, Pap test results and related women's services and guidelines of college health centers. Participants: College health centers who participated in the annual ACHA Pap Test and STI (sexually transmitted infection) Survey years 2004–2014 (n ranged from 127 to 181 depending on year). Methods: Descriptive analyses are presented with ANOVAs (Analysis of Variance) and chi-square tests calculated to examine trends over time. Results: The number of Pap tests significantly decreased over time; however, the percentage of normal and HSIL (high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion) results did not vary. Availability of conventional cytology slides and cryotherapy were significantly associated with year. Over time, college health centers' guidelines related to initiation of Pap testing evolved to consistently conform to national recommendations for cervical screening. Conclusions: The results indicate most college health centers are following the current national guidelines regarding Pap testing for young adult women.

KEYWORDS:

• Cervical cancer screening
• college health centers
• college students
• national guidelines
• Pap test

Acknowledgments

The opinions, findings, and conclusions reported in this article are those of the authors, and are in no way meant to represent the corporate opinions, views, or policies of the American College Health Association (ACHA). ACHA does not warrant nor assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information presented in this article.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of the University of Missouri, Review #208071.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.