Cervical cancer: Mortality in Santa Catarina - Brazil, from 2000 to 2009

Abstract

Cervical cancer in Brazil is the third most common cancer among women and presents a high mortality rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate cervical cancer mortality occurring in the state of Santa Catarina, from 2000 to 2009. This was a populationbased descriptive study, including all female deaths due to cervical cancer. Data was collected from the Mortality Information System, from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, identifying 1253 female deaths associated with this neoplasm. The mortality rate calculated over the period ranged from 3.6 to 4.9 deaths per 100,000 women, registering more elevated rates among women older than sixty years. Nursing contributed to building a culture of prevention of this neoplasm, to performing diagnostic tests, and to capturing and following-up with at-risk women within primary Brazilian healthcare.