Interpretation of colposcopy in population-based cervical screening services in north-eastern Italy: an online interregional agreement study.

Objective: An innovative web-based colposcopy quality assurance programme was implemented in population-based cervical screening services in three north-eastern Italian administrative regions with different colposcopists' training background. In this study, the levels of intra- and interregional intercolposcopist diagnostic agreement were evaluated.

Study Design: Of the 158 registered colposcopists, 125 accessed the website of the programme, logged-in, viewed a posted set of 50 digital colpophotographs selected by an expert steering committee, and classified them for the colposcopic impression, the visibility of the squamocolumnar junction, and the need for biopsy.

Accuracy of Colposcopically Directed Biopsy: Results from an Online Quality Assurance Programme for Colposcopy in a Population-Based Cervical Screening Setting in Italy.

Purpose: To report the accuracy of colposcopically directed biopsy in an internet-based colposcopy quality assurance programme in northern Italy.

Methods: A web application was made accessible on the website of the regional Administration. Fifty-nine colposcopists out of the registered 65 logged in, viewed a posted set of 50 digital colpophotographs, classified them for colposcopic impression and need for biopsy, and indicated the most appropriate site for biopsy with a left-button mouse click on the image.

An online quality assurance program for colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening setting in Italy: results on colposcopic impression.

Objective: To report the results of an Internet-based colposcopy quality assurance program from a population-based cervical screening service in a large region of northern Italy.

Methods: In 2010 to 2011, a Web application was made accessible on the Web site of the regional administration. Fifty-nine colposcopists of the registered 65 participated.

Rationale and development of an on-line quality assurance programme for colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening setting in Italy.

Background: Colposcopy, the key step in the management of women with abnormal Pap smear results, is a visual technique prone to observer variation, which implies the need for prolonged apprenticeship, continuous training, and quality assurance (QA) measures. Colposcopy QA programmes vary in level of responsibility of organizing subjects, geographic coverage, scope, model, and type of actions. The programmes addressing the clinical standards of colposcopy (quality of examination and appropriateness of clinical decisions) are more limited in space and less sustainable over time than those focused on the provision of the service (resources, accessibility, etc.

Difference in overall and age-specific prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus infection in Italy: evidence from NTCC trial.

Background: Although among women a decreasing prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection with increasing age has been consistently observed in high-resource countries, different age profiles have been reported elsewhere.

Methods: We compared the age profile of high-risk (HR)-HPV prevalence in nine different areas of Northern and Central Italy by studying the women recruited in the intervention arm of the New Technologies in Cervical Cancer study and tested by Hybrid Capture 2. Differences in the age-distribution of HPV infection were investigated in each centre by the joinpoint approach in a logistic model.