Table 3

Age-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals, CI) of participation in cervical cancer (30–59-year-olds) and breast cancer screening (50–59-year-olds) in 1998 and proportions (%) of localised cancers among 20–64-year olds (1996–1998) in three groups, formed by the rate of private gynaecologist visits in 5-year-age groups in 1999 1).


Low 3)
Middle
High

Cervical cancer screening (n = 2543) 2)
(Gynaecologist visit rate, per 100)
(< 0.17)
(0.17–0.28)
(< 0.28)
(Number of women)
(31138)
(52481)
(122585)
% participating
74.2
71.7
71.7
Age-adjusted OR (95% CI)
1.00
0.85 (0.82–0.88)
0.79 (0.77–0.81)
Breast cancer screening (n = 833)
(Gynaecologist visit rate per 100)
(<20)
(20–29)
(>29)
(Number of women)
(24163)
(30960)
(106473)
% participating
90.0
90.5
86.6
Age-adjusted OR (95% CI)
1.00
1.06 (1.00–1.12)
0.73 (0.70–0.76)
Cervical cancer (n = 852)
(Gynaecologist visit rate per 100)
(<16)
(16–27)
(>27)
(Number of cancers)
533
723
930
Local, raw %
97.2
96.0
91.2
Age-adjusted OR (95% CI)
1.00
0.87 (0.44–1.72)
0.61 (0.33–1.15)
Uterine cancer (n = 486)
(Gynaecologist visit rate per 100)
(<18)
(18–30)
(>30)
(Number of cancers)
192
272
459
Local, raw %
71.4
70.6
73.0
Age-adjusted OR (95% CI)
1.00
0.97 (0.65–1.46)
1.10 (0.75–1.62)
Ovarian cancer (n = 575)
(Gynaecologist visit rate per 100)
(<19)
(19–30)
(>30)
(Number of cancers)
213
253
511
Local, raw %
44.6
51.4
46.4
Age-adjusted OR (95% CI)
1.00
1.44 (0.98–2.12)
1.19 (0.84–1.68)
Breast cancer (n = 1519)
(Gynaecologist visit rate per 100)
(<18)
(18–29)
(>29)
(Number of cancers)
809
1551
3781
Local, raw %
57.6
53.3
59.2
Age-adjusted OR (95% CI)
1.00
0.85 (0.72–1.01)
1.07 (0.92–1.26)

1) The age groups with similar visit rates were pooled over the municipalities into three groups, see Methods, the second analysis approach. The lowest use group is the reference group. The limits of groups (gynaecologist visits per woman) vary by outcome due to different age-groups and varying lacking data in different analyses.

2) Each unit = one 5-year-interval age-group in each municipality

3) The reference group for calculating age-adjusted odds ratios by logistic regression.

Hemminki et al. BMC Health Services Research 2006 6:27   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-6-27