All posts tagged Pap Smear

Cervical Cancer is Preventable


This month is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a great time for us to educate ourselves about cervical cancer and the importance of screening.

Due to the availability of screening, few women get cervical cancer. However, many women are still not getting screened. Most deaths from cervical cancer can be prevented if more women had tests to find cervical cancer early. No woman should die of cervical cancer in our state.

There is good news:

  • Cervical cancer can often be prevented with regular screening tests (called Pap tests) and follow-up care. A Pap test can catch cervical cancer early, when it’s easier to treat.
  • HPV causes most cervical cancers. The HPV vaccine significantly reduces the risk of cervical cancer. Doctors recommend that both girls and boys get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12.
  • Under the Affordable Care Act, nearly all health insurance plans cover cervical cancer screening tests at no cost.
  • Women under 40 can contact one of these family planning clinics to ask about free or low cost screenings.
  • Refer low-income, uninsured or underinsured women ages 40-64 to the Breast, Cervical and Colon Health Program (BCCHP).

Who should get screened for Cervical Cancer?

  • Women ages 21 to 65 should get the Pap test every 3 years.
  • Women 30 to 65 may choose to have the Pap test every 5 years if done with an HPV test. When these tests are performed together, it is called co-testing.
  • Women who have had the HPV vaccination should continue to get screened because the vaccine does not prevent all types of cervical cancer.
  • Women who have had a hysterectomy due to cervical cancer.

Educational materials you can use in your community:

Cervical-Infographic

Questions? Contact Kendria Dickson at kendria.dickson@doh.wa.gov or 360-236-3598.

Thanks to Public Health – Seattle & King County for the content of this blog post.

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by ywcakatie on January 2, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on January 2, 2015

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/cervical-cancer-is-preventable/

Happy Cervical Cancer Awareness Month!


In the spirit of good health and even better information, we wanted to provide some insight into why January is known as National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

The statistics surrounding cervical cancer can seem pretty scary. After all, more than 12,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year, and nearly 4,000 women will die as a result.

But did you know that cervical cancer is the most preventable form of cancer? Cervical cancer is the only known cancer to be caused primarily by a common virus, the sexually transmitted infection known as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). And thanks to vaccines, the risks of contracting the more dangerous forms of HPV can become diminished. For more information on HPV vaccines, visit the Center for Disease Control’s website or talk to your medical provider.

However, there are other ways to stay on top of your cervical health.

Changes in your cervix can occur regularly, so obtaining regular pap tests from your gynecologist is very important. Make sure if you receive an abnormal pap test from your gynecologist, that you follow up. Don’t leave your health to fate, be an active pursuer of your cervix’s well-being!

If you are a smoker, quit now! Smoking has been known to increase women’s chances of developing cervical cancer, especially if you have already been diagnosed with HPV.

There is no better prevention than protection. The risks of contracting HPV increase with the number of sexual partners women have throughout their lifetime. Limiting the number of partners will limit your chances of developing HPV. If you are sexually active, use condoms every time. This will undoubtedly decrease your risk of contracting a dangerous strain of HPV and thus developing cervical cancer or other related infections and viruses.

Only you know how your body feels, and only you can determine if something ever feels off or wrong. If you don’t have a gynecologist that you see regularly in the area, find one now! Do a search online, read through reviews of medical providers, and make sure the medical provider you see is covered under your health insurance plan. If you don’t have health insurance, be sure to check out any number of clinics in the area, or contact the YWCA’s Women’s Health Outreach Program Manager Ingrid Berkhout to access no-cost mammograms and cervical exams in Seattle, King County and Snohomish County.

Happy Cervical Cancer Awareness Month!

Information for this blog post was provided by: Northwest Herald and about.com.

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by ywcavolunteer on January 20, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcavolunteer on January 20, 2012

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/happy-cervical-cancer-awareness-month/