Nearly 1 in 3 young women have never had cervical cancer screening

Key Points:

• A study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that nearly 1 in 3 American women aged 21 to 29 had never been screened for cervical cancer in 2023, a significant increase from about 1 in 8 in 2005, with similar upward trends seen in women aged 30 to 65.
• Disparities in screening rates exist based on race, education, and insurance status, with higher proportions of Asian women, those with lower education levels, and uninsured women never having been screened.
• Cervical cancer screening, which detects precancerous changes primarily caused by persistent high-risk HPV infections, is vital for prevention; recommended screening methods include Pap tests and high-risk HPV testing, with guidelines varying by age group.
• Despite the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine, screening remains necessary as the vaccine does not protect against all cancer-causing HPV types and some individuals may have been vaccinated after exposure.
• New options such as patient-collected HPV testing may improve screening accessibility for women who find traditional pelvic exams uncomfortable, and healthcare providers urge women overdue for screening to seek care promptly without waiting for symptoms.