Equity of access to Pap smears: population-based study in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of the Papanicolaou exam among women aged 20 to 59 years in the city of Campinas (state of São Paulo, Brazil) and to analyze associations between this test and affiliation to private health insurance plans as well as socioeconomic/demographic variables and health-related behavior. METHOD: To do so, a population-based, cross-sectional study was carried out. Statistical analyses took the study design into account. RESULTS: Despite the significant socioeconomic differences between women with and without private health plans, no differences between these groups were found regarding having been submitted to the Papanicolaou test. In fact no differences were found as to socioeconomic and health variables analyzed. Among all variables analyzed, only marital status was significantly associated with having undergone the test. The Brazilian public health system accounted for 55.7% of the exams. CONCLUSION: The present findings indicate social equity in the city of Campinas regarding the preventive exam for cervical cancer in the age group studied