The aim of this study was to verify the influence of packing types of cytology slides in laboratory report results pertaining to Sample Epithelia Representatives, Benign Cellular Alterations, and cellular atypia. This is a descriptive and quantitative study conducted between April and June of 2008. The participants were 72 women who underwent cervical cancer preventive examinations in a Center for Natural Childbirth, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. From each participant we collected two cervical smears of vaginal specimen: one was put next to other users (case), and the other alone (control), given the technical standards. This was followed by the criterion of blind control in reading the slides. The results of the two blades were compared by checking inconsistencies in the various packing realities. There was a 58.3% discrepancy compared to epithelia representative samples and 48.2% compared to benign cellular changes. The results suggest further studies are needed regarding packaging, control of the intra-subjectivity of the technician responsible for reading, and the sequence for collecting case and control slides.
Cervix neoplasms prevention; Vaginal smears; Public health nursing
