Contested surveillance: risk, safety, and cervical screening in Australia.

The expectation of participation in cervical screening programs has become a ubiquitous feature of women's lives; but despite the obvious importance of trying to prevent cervical cancer, both the expression and fulfilment of that expectation are far from straightforward. This is because the actors involved are not always consistent in their interpretation of the risks involved and safety sought. The history of cervical screening in Australia illustrates how the implementation of medical surveillance can be shaped by such interpretations.