Journal of Public Health 26(3) © Faculty of Public Health 2004; all rights reserved.
Uptake for cervical screening by ethnicity and place-of-birth: a population-based cross-sectional study
R. Webb1
J. Richardson2
A. Esmail3
A. Pickles1
1 School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, University of Manchester, 1st Floor, Stopford Building, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
2 South Manchester Primary Care Trust, 1st Floor, Home Four, Withington Hospital, Nell Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LR, UK.
3 School of Primary Care, University of Manchester, Rusholme Health Centre, Walmer Street, Manchester M14 5NP, UK.
Address correspondence to Roger Webb, at Centre for Women’s Mental Health Research, University of Manchester, 7th Floor, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. E-mail: roger.webb{at}man.ac.uk
Previous research indicates low screening uptake among South Asian women. We aimed to generate contemporary evidence of uptake by ethnicity using the screening records of eligible women resident in Manchester (n = 72613). Uptake among South Asians was lower than among other women, a difference explained by area- and practice-level confounding. A higher proportion of South Asians were recorded as ‘never screened’, an effect only partially explained by confounding. In practices with relatively large South Asian populations, uptake was higher among South Asians. Women born in a diverse range of overseas countries had uptake rates below 60 per cent and approximately a third of women born overseas were recorded as ‘never screened’. If comprehensive coverage is to be achieved in inner city areas attention should now focus on the needs of a diverse range of ethnic minority groups other than South Asians. The routine collection of ethnicity data in primary care is also indicated.
Keywords: cervical screening, ethnicity, needs assessment, primary care