Psychological costs of inadequate cervical smear test results

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to investigate, for the first time, the psychological impact of an inadequate smear test result. A prospective questionnaire design was used, and the setting was a single English cervical screening laboratory. Two groups of women receiving either a normal test result (n=226) or either a first or nonconsecutive inadequate smear test result (n=180) participated. The main outcome measures included State anxiety (STAI) and concern about test result, assessed within 4 weeks of receipt of results, and attendance for a repeat cervical smear within 3 months. Compared to women with normal test results, women with inadequate smear test results had higher state anxiety (P=0.025), were more concerned about their results (P<0.001), perceived themselves to be at higher risk of cervical cancer (P=0.016), and felt less satisfied with the information they had received about their test results (P<0.001). The only predictor of attendance for a repeat smear test following an inadequate smear test result was state anxiety (P=0.011): nonattenders had higher levels of state anxiety in response to their initial test results. In conclusion, in this first study to assess the psychological impact of receiving an inadequate smear test result, we have shown that it raises state anxiety and concern to levels similar to those found in women with abnormal smear test results. Of particular concern is that anxious women are less likely to attend for a repeat smear test within the recommended time frame. Given the millions of women each year receiving this test result, research is now needed to ascertain how the anxiety associated with this result can be avoided.