Screening of female residents in the National Program for the Detection of Precancerous and Early Cancerous Cervical Changes Zora
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in young women (15-44 years) in the European Union, after breast cancer. Despite some effective measures, cervical cancer is a public health problem in Slovenia as well. According to the latest data from the Cancer Registry, 122 women were newly diagnosed with cervical cancer in Slovenia in 2013. In recent years, 30-40 women die from this disease in our country every year. Morbidity is lower in some European countries, and mortality in Slovenia is below the European average, mainly due to a successful screening program for the early detection and treatment of precancerous Zora changes.
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV infection can be effectively protected by vaccination, which has been part of the regular vaccination program for girls since 2009 in Slovenia. In addition to early awareness, Slovenia has had a national program for the early detection of precancerous changes in the cervix, Zora, since 2003, the aim of which is to reduce morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer in Slovenia. The program actively looks for precancerous changes in all apparently healthy women between the ages of 20 and 64 by examining the cells in the cervical smear once every three years.
Public opinion support and the promotion of preventive programs in the local community are very important for the inclusion of residents in the screening program. Health workers and supporters of the screening program, with the support of the local community, contribute to the recognition of the program and the decisions of individuals to participate in screening.
Screening for cervical cancer describes the proportion of the population aged 20 to 64 who participated in the Zora program, calculated on the number of all population aged 20 to 64.
Percent (%).
Screening of female residents in the Zora program is the ratio between the number of female residents aged 20 to 64 who participated in the Zora program in the observed period and the number of all female residents aged 20 to 64, multiplied by 100. The average of three consecutive years is shown . The period starts from 1.7. and ends with 30.6.
Screening in the Zora program
Zora Program, Cancer Registry, Oncology Institute.
Data are published annually.
Program Zora ( http://zora.onko-i.si/program-zora/ ).