To Pap or Not to Pap?

Recent updates to the guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) have focused attention on cervical cancer screening (JW Womens Health Nov 23 2009). In a nationally representative survey of >1000 U.S. primary care physicians who provided cervical cytology testing, investigators assessed Pap screening practices. Participants were presented with four clinical vignettes that featured women of different ages, sexual activities, and medical and surgical histories and were asked to recommend appropriate Pap screening. Answers were compared with the 2002 and 2003 guidelines from ACOG (Obstet Gynecol 2003; 102:417), the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Am J Nurs 2003; 103:101), and the American Cancer Society…