Unindicated Cervical Cancer Screening in Adolescent Females Within a Large Healthcare System in the United States
Authors: Hosier Hillary , Sheth Sangini S. , Oliveira Carlos R. , Perley Lauren E. , Vash-Margita Alla 
Published: August 2023

The increasingly complicated nature of screening guidelines for cervical cancer includes multiple component tests (cytology, genotyping, and high-risk human papilloma virus [HPV] testing) and evolving recommendations. The aim of this study was assessing single-large-healthcare-system trends over time associated with adolescent females and unindicated cervical cancer screening tests. This repeated cross-sectional study analyzed electronic medical records of provider- and patient-specific variables from the Yale New Haven Health System.

Included in the study were all 13- to 20-year-old Yale New Haven Health System patients who underwent screening for cervical cancer via either HPV testing or cytology between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2018. Age, medical histories, surgical histories, self-reported race and ethnicity, and prescribed medications were all patient-specific variables. Provider-specific variables included clinical practice affiliation, clinical degree, and adolescent patient volume (number of medical visits completed by a patient less than 21 every 6 months).

In terms of this study, definition of practice setting was either academic (low-income teaching hospitals) or community-based (private practice setting with primarily insured women). Cytologies were categorized as either unindicated or indicated, based on cervical cancer screening guidelines from 2012 (recorded as unindicated for index specimens collected before the 21st birthday in patients lacking immunocompromised conditions). Should an HPV test be performed, any results other than “atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance” received an unindicated status.

The final sample size in the study included 794 women from 118 providers (53% community setting and 47% academic setting). Results from analysis of 900 cervical cancer screenings demonstrated that unindicated tests made up the majority of tests (90%), with 87% of these being unindicated cytology testing only and 14% with unindicated HPV testing as well. Reasons for obtaining unindicated tests as recorded in the original clinical history were lacking, as 62% had no justification listed for testing, and those with reasons failed current guideline compliance. The incidence rate (IR) of adolescent unindicated tests decreased by 33% between 2012 and 2018. Although a significantly lower IR of unindicated screening existed in the academic setting, the rate of decline in the IR of unindicated screening during this period was significantly greater in the community than in the academic setting by 11%.

A strength of the study included its ability to calculate IRs in all encounters, including sexually transmitted infection or contraception screenings. Limitations included utilization of hospital system cytology reports for obtaining data, thereby hindering any access to data necessary for validation of screening or surveillance indications from previously performed antecedent cytology. Furthermore, the study failed to collect information regarding another guideline-adherence marker: number of indicated index cervical cancer screenings for patients beginning at 21 years. According to an examination by Becerra-Culqui of women having an encounter at the age of 21 years or beyond, 65% missed opportunities for screening. Finally, the authors were unable to comment on both immunocompromised women and eligible young women who missed indicated screening due to collection of data via pathology reports rather than well-woman examinations.

Although unindicated screening for women ages 21 and younger experienced significant reductions, areas for improvement remained. As recent guidelines updates may present greater provider and patient challenges, evidence-based strategies are more important than ever in terms of guideline adherence and dissemination.