TY - JOUR
T1 - Cervical cancer screening in Ghana, West Africa
T2 - Prevalence of abnormal cytology and challenges for expanding screening
AU - Handlogten, Kathryn S.
AU - Molitor, Rochelle J.
AU - Roeker, Lindsey E.
AU - Narla, Nirmala P.
AU - Bachman, Maria J.
AU - Quayson, Solomon
AU - Owusu-Afriyie, Osei
AU - Adjei, Ernest
AU - Ankobea, Frank
AU - Clayton, Amy
AU - Roberts, Lewis
AU - MacLaughlin, Kathy
AU - Ansong, Daniel
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - Aims were to assess the prevalence of Papanicolaou (Pap) abnormalities found with cervical cancer screening in Agogo and Nkawie, communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana, and compare the correlation between Pap readings performed at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, and at the Mayo Clinic cytology laboratory in Rochester, MN. Demographic data was collected and Pap tests were performed on women recruited for screening in the communities of Agogo (n=119) and Nkawie (n=255). The Pap tests were assessed by pathology laboratory staff at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Mayo Clinic. There was a significant difference in prevalence of abnormal cytology between the sites with a rate of 12.6% in Agogo and 3.5% in Nkawie (P=0.016). Demographic differences were noted in education level (P<0.001), occupation (P<0.001), religion (P=0.002), and marital status (P<0.001). The Cohen correlation coefficient between the two pathology departments interpreting samples was 0.185, which indicates a significant degree of discordance (P<0.001). Currently Ghana does not have a national cervical cancer screening program. Identifying higher risk communities and patients as a priority for screening may be useful with limited resources. Accurate identification of Pap abnormalities is necessary to implement an effective screening program.
AB - Aims were to assess the prevalence of Papanicolaou (Pap) abnormalities found with cervical cancer screening in Agogo and Nkawie, communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana, and compare the correlation between Pap readings performed at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, and at the Mayo Clinic cytology laboratory in Rochester, MN. Demographic data was collected and Pap tests were performed on women recruited for screening in the communities of Agogo (n=119) and Nkawie (n=255). The Pap tests were assessed by pathology laboratory staff at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Mayo Clinic. There was a significant difference in prevalence of abnormal cytology between the sites with a rate of 12.6% in Agogo and 3.5% in Nkawie (P=0.016). Demographic differences were noted in education level (P<0.001), occupation (P<0.001), religion (P=0.002), and marital status (P<0.001). The Cohen correlation coefficient between the two pathology departments interpreting samples was 0.185, which indicates a significant degree of discordance (P<0.001). Currently Ghana does not have a national cervical cancer screening program. Identifying higher risk communities and patients as a priority for screening may be useful with limited resources. Accurate identification of Pap abnormalities is necessary to implement an effective screening program.
KW - Cervical cancer
KW - Cervical pathology
KW - Ghana
KW - Pap
KW - West Africa
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84894245358&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84894245358&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/PGP.0b013e318298a9e6
DO - 10.1097/PGP.0b013e318298a9e6
M3 - Article
C2 - 24487476
AN - SCOPUS:84894245358
SN - 0277-1691
VL - 33
SP - 197
EP - 202
JO - International Journal of Gynecological Pathology
JF - International Journal of Gynecological Pathology
IS - 2
ER -