The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Cluster-randomised trial of risk communication to enhance informed uptake of cervical screening.
Women overestimate both population and individual risk of cervical cancer. This may contribute to the recognised excess screening frequency for low-risk women. ⋯ Women's perception of risk contributes to determining screening intervals in addition to practice factors. Simple risk information delivered in primary care affected women's stated preferences for tests. The impact on actual screening behaviour was more equivocal. Overall, the intervention showed a substantial benefit and any disbenefit can be ruled out. This approach to providing risk information could, at low cost, benefit other screening programmes and may relieve anxiety.