Résumé
Objectives:In France cervical cancer screening (CCS) by Pap smear can be performed by general practitioners (GPs), andmedical gynecologists. Medical gynecologists manage contraception, cancer screening, menopause, while deliveries andsurgery remain to obstetricians. Women have direct access to gynecologists as primary care practitioners. Our aim was tomeasure GPs’ involvement in CCS and investigate the characteristics of GPs associated with no practice of CCS. Methods:Data came from 3 cross-sectional surveys conducted among representative samples of French GPs in 1998,2002 and 2009 (n = 6213).We conducted univariate and multivariate logistic regressions stratified on GPs’ sex to investi-gate the characteristics (age, solo or group practice, professional network, area of practice...) of the GPs associated withno practice of CCS ever. Results:The proportion of GPs not performing CCS increased from 24.1% to 34.8% over the period (χ2,p<0.0001). Womenperformed CCS increasingly more than men in all three years, from 8.7% more than men up to 17.1%. In multivariate analy-ses, female GPs with unregulated fees were more likely not to perform CCS (2.31, 95% CI: 1.50-3.56) as were male GPsbelonging to no professional network (1.38, 95% CI: 1.15-1.66). Male GPs from the Paris metropolitan area were less likelyto perform CCS until 2002. Conclusions:Less and less GPs engage in CCS when the growing scarcity of medical gynecologists calls for more partic-ipation. Female GPs remain significantly more active in CCS than male GPs. The participation in CCS is determined differ-ently according to the practitioner’s gender.