Some of Us Don't Get It

Posting Date: 03/17/2004

Patti Flesher, College of American Pathologists

Highlights from the College of American Pathologists?

2003 Preventive Testing Gallup Study

What is the patient?s PERCEPTION of preventive testing?

Pap

While three-quarters (75%) of adult women surveyed know that a mammogram is a test to screen for breast cancer, only half (48%) of those same women know that the Pap test screens for cervical cancer.

Thirteen percent of all adult women surveyed think the Pap test screened for STDs, ovarian cancer or uterine cancer.

Four percent of all adult women report never having had a Pap test.

Half (51%) of all women believe that a woman should have her first Pap test no later than age 18, despite recommendations by ACOG and the ACS that it should be by age 21 or three years after onset of sexual activity.

The majority (70%) of younger adult women (aged 18-34) believe that a woman should have her first Pap test no later than age 18, while only one-third (32%) of the female respondents over age 50 feel that way. Older women think the Pap test should begin later.

Cholesterol

Only 29% of all adults surveyed knew that cholesterol testing screened for risk of heart disease. Others thought it screened for ?high cholesterol? and blood pressure, among others.

While more than half of all men and women surveyed have their cholesterol checked at least once a year (55%), 20 % have NEVER had it checked. Adults under age 35 are the least likely (40%) to have it checked.

Younger women seem to be getting the cholesterol message better than young men. Forty-two percent of men under age 40 believe they NEVER have to have their cholesterol checked, compared to 29% of women under age 40. The CAP recommends that anyone 20 years and older have their cholesterol checked at least every five years.

One-fourth (25%) of all males have never had their cholesterol checked. The CAP advocates that anyone over 20 should have it checked every five years.

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