ISS, good participation in breast and cervical screening but not in the South

In Italy, 73% of women between 50 and 69 and 78% of those between 25 and 64 undergo mammography screening and cervical screening (Pap test or HPV test) for preventive purposes, within organized programs or on personal initiative, while national coverage of colorectal screening remains rather low: in the two-year period 2022-2023, 46% of interviewees in the 50-69 age group reported having undergone one of the tests for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer for preventive purposes. This is what emerges from the Passi surveillance of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CNAPPS) of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, published today, which generally highlights a North-South gap.

“A recent report of ours, based precisely on the Passi surveillance findings, has shown that in regions where screening reaches a good portion of the target population, the system is also able to take charge of cancer cases – underlines the president of the ISS, Rocco Bellantone – I am sure that these data will be very useful for developing strategies that can mitigate regional disparities in access to healthcare, by far the main problem of healthcare in our country”.

The share of women who undergo cervical screening – the ISS details – is higher among the most educated or with greater economic resources, among Italian citizens compared to foreigners and among married or cohabiting women. Cervical screening coverage then draws a clear North-South geographic gradient that divides Italy in two, with average coverage equal to 83% in the regions of Northern and Central Italy (89% in the province of Bolzano) and 69% in the regions of the South (with minimal coverage for Calabria, 58%).

The share of women undergoing mammography screening is also higher among those who are more educated or have greater economic resources, among women of Italian citizenship compared to foreigners and among married or cohabiting women. Mammography screening coverage also draws a clear North-South gradient, with total coverage of 83% in the North, 78% in the Center and only 61% in the southern regions. Friuli Venezia Giulia (89%) is the region with the highest coverage, Calabria (45%) the one with the lowest total coverage. Over the years, the geographical gap has narrowed and the share of women undergoing mammography for preventive purposes has increased, thanks above all to the increase in supply/adherence to organized programs that has occurred throughout the country.

As regards colorectal screening, there is a strong variability from North to South to the detriment of the southern regions where the share of people undergoing screening does not reach 28% in the two-year period 2022-2023, a value that almost doubles in the central regions to reach 67% among residents in Northern Italy. The majority of people who underwent colorectal screening did so within the framework of programs organized by the Local Health Authorities (38%), while that performed on a spontaneous basis (i.e. outside the offer of the Local Health Authorities) is infrequent (almost 8%).