EuroMed Cancer Network contributions to eliminating cervical cancer in low- and middle-income Mediterranean countries.

Background: Cervical cancer places a significant burden on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The EuroMed Cancer Network (EuMedCN) brings together cancer experts and stakeholders from the Mediterranean countries to promote sustainable cancer screening and support implementation of the WHO Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem.

Aim: To highlight the constructive role of EuMedCN in mitigating inequalities in access to cervical cancer prevention and screening across the Mediterranean LMICs.

A comparison of diagnostic indicators of cervical cancer screening among women accessing through volunteer organisations and those via the organised programme in Turin (Piedmont Region, Northern Italy).

Objectives: to compare cervical cancer screening diagnostic indicators in women accessing screening through volunteer non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and in those who access via the National Health Service (NHS) programme.

Design: cohort study on archive data.

Setting And Participants: the study cohort consists of 93,086 women aged 30-64 years who underwent an HPV test via NHS screening programme or through premises implemented within volunteers NGOs in Turin between 2015 and 2019.

A dynamic web-based decision aid to improve informed choice in organised breast cancer screening. A pragmatic randomised trial in Italy.

Background: Improving the quality of information and communication is a priority in organised breast cancer screening and an ethical duty. Programmes must offer the information each woman is looking for, promoting informed decision-making. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a web-based dynamic decision aid (DA).

Inequalities in cervical cancer screening utilisation and results: A comparison between Italian natives and immigrants from disadvantaged countries.

Cervical cancer screening underutilisation is documented among immigrants from poor countries and it is associated to an augmented risk for severe lesions. In a cohort of 1,410,364 Italian women and 200,491 immigrants from poor countries differences in screening participation and results were investigated. Participation rate was lower for immigrants than for Italians: 43.

Information provided by Italian breast cancer screening programmes: a comparison between 2001 and 2014.

Debate on efficacy, benefits, and risks of breast cancer screening continues to rage, and scientific controversy surrounding overdiagnosis, false positives/false negatives, raises questions about communication to women attending screening programmes. The study compares information provided by invitation letters and leaflets of Italian breast screening programmes in 2001 (N=47) and 2014 (N=80). At both times, nearly all programmes provided adequate practical information and details about screening objectives and test procedures.

Breast cancer screening in Italy: evaluating key performance indicators for time trends and activity volumes.

Together with the National centre for screening monitoring (ONS), GISMa supports annual collection of data on national breast screening activities. Aggregated data on implementation and performance are gathered through a standardized form to calculate process and impact indicators. Analyzed data belong to 153 local programmes in the period 2006-2011 (2006-2012 for participation rate only).

The EUROMED CANCER network: state-of-art of cancer screening programmes in non-EU Mediterranean countries.

Background: The EUROMED CANCER Network project aims to support non-EU Mediterranean countries in the development of cancer early detection and screening policies.

Methods: Through a structured questionnaire information from 15 countries (Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestinian National Authority, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey) were collected on cancer epidemiology and control.

Results: Large differences between countries are evident.

[Time trends of process and impact indicators in Italian breast screening programmes (2000-2010)].

Since its establishment in 1990, one of the main tasks of the Italian group for breast cancer screening (GISMa) is the systematic data collection on the activity of the organised breast cancer screening programmes implemented in Italy. Data are collected in an aggregated way and gathered through a standardised form to calculate process and impact parameters. Data analysis from 2000-2010 shows that crude attendance rate reached the acceptable 50% standard, presenting a higher level of participation in Northern and Central Italy compared to Southern Italy/Islands, where attendance rates are still inadequate and do not reach the acceptable standard.

Time trends of process and impact indicators in Italian breast screening programmes (1999-2009).

Since its establishment in 1990, one of the main tasks of the Italian group for mammography screening (GISMa) is the systematic data collection on the activity of the organised mammography screening programmes implemented in Italy. Data are collected in an aggregated way and gathered through a standardised form to calculate process and impact parameters. Data analysis from 1999-2009 shows that crude attendance rate reached the acceptable 50% standard, presenting a higher level of participation in northern and central Italy compared to southern Italy/Islands, where attendance rates are still inadequate and do not reach the acceptable standard.

The impact of different communication and organizational strategies on mammography screening uptake in women aged 40-45 years.

Background: Several factors can influence access to population breast cancer screening. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of different information approaches, women's socio-demographic characteristics and organizational factors on mammography screening uptake.

Methods: We selected 5744 women aged 40-45 years who were randomly assigned to be given letters with: (i) a pre-fixed appointment plus standard leaflet (Group 1); (ii) a pre-fixed appointment plus a more comprehensive booklet (Group 2); (iii) point (ii) plus the offer of a counselling session (Group 3); and (iv) an invitation to contact the centre to get information and arrange participation (Group 4).

Time trends of process and impact indicators in Italian breast screening programmes: 1998-2008.

Since its establishment in 1990, one of the main tasks of the Italian Group for Mammography Screening (GISMa) is the systematic data collection on the activity of the organised mammography screening programmes implemented in Italy. Data are collected in an aggregated way and gathered through a standardised form to calculate process and impact parameters. Data analysis referring to the period 1998-2008 shows that crude attendance rate reached the acceptable 50% standard, presenting a higher level of participation in Northern and Central Italy compared to Southern Italy/Islands, where attendance rates are still inadequate and do not reach the acceptable standard.

Time trends of process and impact indicators in Italian breast screening programmes: 1998-2007.

Since its establishment in 1990, one of the main tasks of the Italian Group for Mammography Screening (GISMa) has been that of collecting, as systematically and thoroughly as possible, data on the activity of the Italian mammography screening programmes. Data are collected in an aggregated way and gathered through a standardised form to calculate process and impact parameters. Analysis of data referring to the period 1998-2007 shows that crude attendance rate reached the acceptable 50% standard, presenting a higher level of participation in Northern and Central Italy compared to Southern Italy/Islands, where attendance rates are still inadequate and do not reach the acceptable standard.

Time trends of some indicators of mammography screening programmes in Italy, 1996-2003.

Since 1992, the Italian Group for Mammography Screening (GISMa) has been performing a yearly systematic survey of ongoing activities. The screening extension increased from 1996, reaching an overall 68.7% coverage in 2004.