KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - For National Cervical Health Awareness Month in January, Public Health - Seattle & King County and partners are urging women across the county to visit their health care providers for their regular Pap test. If caught early, cervical cancer is almost always curable.
"Pap screenings are extremely valuable and effective in prevention. By detecting cancer early, Pap tests can save your life," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director and Health Officer of Public Health - Seattle & King County.
Regular screening by women has reduced the incidence of cervical cancer by 42% and cervical cancer deaths by 70%.
Despite the benefits of the Pap test, many women still do not know about the Pap test or its important role in detecting cervical cancer. The majority of women with newly diagnosed invasive cervical cancer have not had a Pap test in the past five years and may have never had one.
During the month of January, Public Health – Seattle & King County has teamed up with the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service in Seattle and International Community Health Services to raise awareness about the importance of Pap tests.
"The Pap test is a public health success. It is one of the first tests that detects cell changes before they become cancerous," said Ellen Phillips-Angeles, Manager of the Washington Breast and Cervical Health Program at Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Even if cancer is detected, with regular screening it is likely to be at an early stage when it is most treatable."
Less screenings, higher rates among some women:
- Asian-American, Latina, lesbian and low-income women are less likely than the general population to report having Pap smears.
- Cervical cancer rates and mortality rates are higher among African-American and Latina women.
"Vietnamese women are much more likely than white women to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and much less likely to get Pap smears. For this reason, it is critical to get regular Pap smears if you have ever been sexually active, even if you feel healthy," said Dr. Quynh Bui of International Community Health Services' Holly Park Clinic.
"There is a proverb in Vietnamese culture that says 'health is gold,' but unfortunately many Vietnamese Americans are not good practitioners of wellness. Many families usually only see their doctors when they are sick," said Lynn Nguyen, a Public Health Nurse at the North Public Health Center. "Regular screenings are very important to detect cervical cancer in the early stages."
"The Latinas we have met face a number of cultural and communication challenges in obtaining health care. Since many of these women are underinsured or uninsured, their first question is always about how to find free or low-cost health services, but there are resources available to help with screenings," said Katherine Briant of the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service in Seattle.
"Since so many Latina women put their families needs before their own, the hard part is making sure they call and make an appointment to get screened. I always encourage the women I meet to make time to take care of themselves. If they stay healthy, they will be around for their families in the future," said Briant.
More information on the Breast and Cervical Health Program.
Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health - Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day. |
