• Joseph S Ross, Beverly A Forsyth, and Julie R Rosenbaum.
• Yale University School of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, Department of Internal Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
• J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Jan 1; 21 (1): 68-70.

BackgroundPostgraduate training involves intensive clinical education characterized by long work hours with minimal flexibility. Time demands may be a barrier to obtaining preventive care for housestaff during postgraduate training.ObjectiveAssess adherence to United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) cervical cancer screening recommendations.DesignCross-sectional survey.ParticipantsConvenience sample of female housestaff at 1 university hospital.MeasurementsPrimary outcomes included (1) adherence to USPSTF recommendations, (2) perception of adherence to recommendations, and (3) barriers to obtaining preventive care.ResultsSurveys were completed by 204 housestaff. Overall, 81% of housestaff were adherent to USPSTF screening recommendations. Housestaff requiring screening in the past year were less likely to be adherent when compared with housestaff requiring screening in the past 3 years. Overall, 84% accurately perceived their screening behavior as adherent or nonadherent (kappa=0.58). Of the 43% who identified a barrier to obtaining preventive care, not having time to schedule or keep appointments was reported most frequently (n=72).ConclusionsHousestaff accurately perceived their need for cervical cancer screening and were generally adherent to USPSTF recommendations, even though lack of time during postgraduate training was frequently reported as a barrier to obtaining preventive care. However, we found lower adherence among a small subgroup of housestaff at a slightly greater risk for cervical disease and most likely to benefit from screening.

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