Human Development Index and secondary prevention of breast and cervical cancer: an ecological study

This ecological study assessed mammography and Papanicolaou test (Pap smear) screening rates and their association with the Human Development Index (HDI) in Brazilian state capitals and Federal District in 2011, based on VIGITEL telephone survey data. More than 70% of women had a mammogram some time in life in all the state capitals, while the Pap smear rates any time in life and in the previous three years fell short of the 80% target in most state capitals. There was a strong positive correlation between HDI and the test rates (r = 0.52 and 0.66 for mammogram any time in life and in the previous two years and r = 0.66 and 0.71 for Pap smear any time in life and in the previous three years, respectively). Prevalence ratio (PR) for mammogram in the previous two years was 1.06 (95%CI: 1.01-1.10) and PR for Pap smear in the previous three years was 1.07 (IC95%: 1.04-1.10). The promotion of public health policies that encourage Brazil's urban economic and social development should help increase coverage for these tests.