Poorer women are more likely to have abnormal smear test results, according to new statistics.

An analysis of smear test results taken by the Dublin Well Woman Centre show that, in every age category from twenty-five years up to fifty years of age, a woman with a medical card is 50% more likely to need to be referred on for further investigation following an abnormal smear.

The Centre is calling for for extra efforts to ensure poorer women continue to access screening under the National Cervical Screening Programme, CervicalCheck.

The Well Woman Centre takes nearly 9,000 cervical smear tests annually across its three Dublin clinics - Coolock, Pembroke Road and Liffey Street - and has expressed concern over the number of women who need to be referred to hospital for a colposcopy examination following an abnormal smear result.

"The figures show that medical card-holders attending the Well Woman Clinic in Coolock for a smear test are more likely to require a colposcopy than private patients across the organisation's three Dublin clinics," the Centre said.

Alison Begas, Chief Executive of the Dublin Well Woman Centre, says the figures show shocking health inequality.

"Our clinical experience demonstrates very clearly that poorer women are significantly more likely to have abnormal smear results that require further investigation. For that reason, it is crucially important that CervicalCheck continues to target women from the most 'at-risk' groups for cancer screening."

Dr Shirley McQuade, Medical Director of the Dublin Well Woman Centre, said while accessing a smear test is simple enough in theory, not all women avail of this service.

"Any woman, regardless of where she lives, needs to simply call and make an appointment with a smear-taker of her choice. However, we also see women every week in our clinics who may never have had a smear test, or who are unaware that they can now access free screening through CervicalCheck".

Dr McQuade said the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which causes cervical cell abnormalities, is more prevalent in women who are smokers.

"It is also more prevalent across groups who experience first sexual intercourse at an early age. From our experience at The Dublin Well Woman Centre, both of these are factors across low income groups."

This week is European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

Find out more about cervical cancer here