Treatment of cervical cancer can have several complications such as urinary problems, abdominal pain, vaginal dryness, lymphedema and induced menopause, depending on the treatment. We tried to assess the use of health care in women who are diagnosed with and treated for cervical cancer.
We conducted a population-based register study including women with cervical cancer (exposed) diagnosed in Denmark in 2001-2005 compared to women without cervical cancer (non-exposed) in the same time period. As indicators for health care utilization we used the number of contacts to general practitioners (GP), hospitals and psychiatrists/psychologists and the dispensing of prescription drugs. The data were retrieved from several Danish registers. A five-year period “before” and a five-year period “after” the cervical cancer diagnosis were compared.
In total, 926 women with cervical cancer and 1,004,759 women without cancer were included. Exposed women increased their number of contacts with 14.1 (95% CI: 10.3-17.8) and 4.18 (95% CI: 4.06-4.31) to the GPs and hospitals respectively from the “before” period to the “after” period. Non-exposed women increased their number of contacts over time to the GPs with 5.5 (95% CI: 5.3-5.6) and to the hospitals with 0.06 (95% CI: 0.056-0.064). Women with cervical cancer therefore have 8.6 and 4.12 more contacts to GPs and hospitals respectively than women without cervical cancer. An increase over time was seen for the use of prescription drugs with 385 defined daily doses (DDD) more for exposed women compared to non-exposed women. There was a slight increase in contacts to the psychologists/psychiatrists with limited difference of 0.50 more contacts for exposed women compared to non-exposed women.
Women with cervical cancer increase, as expected, their use of prescription drugs and the number of contacts to general practitioner and hospitals after the diagnosis compared to women without cancer. The small increase in number of contacts to psychologists/psychiatrists was unexpected. These results indicate that the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer, as handled in Denmark, do not lead to psychological side effects requiring attention from psychologists/psychiatrists.