Epidemiology and costs of cervical cancer screening and cervical dysplasia in Italy
2009

Cervical Cancer Screening and Costs in Italy

Sample size: 6423924 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Rossi Paolo Giorgi, Ricciardi Alessandro, Cohet Catherine, Palazzo Fabio, Furnari Giacomo, Valle Sabrina, Largeron Nathalie, Federici Antonio

Primary Institution: Agency for Public Health, Lazio Region

Hypothesis

What are the annual rates of cervical cancer screening, cervical abnormalities detected, and the associated costs in Italy?

Conclusion

The total annual cost of cervical cancer prevention in Italy is approximately €181.5 million, with the majority attributed to screening.

Supporting Evidence

  • Approximately 6.4 million women aged 25–69 years undergo screening annually in Italy.
  • About 2.4% of tests have positive findings.
  • Estimated costs to the healthcare service amount to €158.5 million for screening and €22.9 million for the management of cervical abnormalities.

Takeaway

Every year, about 6.4 million women in Italy get tested for cervical cancer, and it costs the healthcare system around €181.5 million to do this.

Methodology

The study estimated the number of women screened using National Health Interview data and analyzed costs based on national guidelines and data from the Italian Group for Cervical Cancer Screening.

Potential Biases

Data collection may not fully represent all regions, particularly those without established screening programs.

Limitations

The study may overestimate the number of women screened and underestimate CIN management due to reliance on available data and lack of national data on opportunistic screening.

Participant Demographics

Women aged 25–69 years in Italy.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-9-71

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