Income a factor in smear test results

POORER women are more likely to have abnormal smear test results than those who are better off, new figures reveal.

Well Woman has found that the rate of abnormal smear results requiring further investigation was higher among medical card holders. Figures published in Well Woman’s 2008 annual report show that over 10% of women who got an abnormal smear test result in the past six years were medical card holders who attended its clinic in Coolock, compared with 7% of all women screened at its Ballsbridge clinic.

Well Woman’s chief executive Alison Begas said it was critical women from the most at-risk groups were targeted in planning future delivery of CervicalCheck – the national cervical screening programme.