Cervical cancer screening in Canada: 2021/2022
Recall following a normal Pap test
Seven provinces send recall letters at the program-identified interval following a normal Pap test. Five of these provinces send the letter to the participant only, one sends it to primary care providers only, and one sends it to both the participant and primary care provider. NU uses phone calls as a recall method. In addition, seven jurisdictions send reminder letters if the participant does not initiate screening after receiving the recall letter.
Recall following a normal Pap test
| P/T | Recall method | Recall sent to | Recall issued by | Reminder letter if screening is not initiated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT | ||||
| NT | ||||
| NU* | Phone call | Primary care provider | Primary care provider (individual well-women clinics organized by nursing station nurses or clinic nurses organize recall) |
✓ |
| BC | Letter | Participant, primary care provider | Screening program | Letter to PCP is sent after participant letter |
| AB | Letter | Participant | Screening program | ✓ (participants only) |
| SK | Letter | Participant | Screening program | ✓ |
| MB | Letter | Participant | Screening program | ✓ (participants only) |
| ON | Letter | Participant | Screening program, primary care provider (PCP may use other strategies) | ✓ |
| QC | ||||
| NB | Letter | Participant | Screening program | ✓ (participants only) |
| NS | No programmatic recall in place | |||
| PE | No programmatic recall in place | |||
| NL | Letter | Primary care provider | Screening program, primary care provider |
NU: *Although there is no organized screening program available, many health centres have created their own recall methods and listings to provide reminders. This is specific to each health center and dependent on the staff who are available to support.