Continued: Study
“South Carolina has some of the greatest health disparities in the nation,” Glover said. “This report gives us a better understanding not only of cervical cancer incidence and mortality among African-American women, but also shows the critical role that community groups have in working with doctors and other healthcare professionals and leaders to ensure that women receive screenings and follow-up care.”
The report is timely, given the recent controversy surrounding a report by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that called for less frequent cervical cancer screening, Glover said.
Arnold School researcher Dr. Heather Brandt said that, although cervical cancer deaths nationwide have dropped 75 percent since the Pap test was introduced for screening, not all women have benefited equally from advancements in screening.
“Women of color, women living in rural areas and women living in poverty continue to develop cervical cancer and die at much higher rates,” she said. “The reports in this journal highlight the challenges that we continue to face in addressing cervical cancer in the United States and around the world.”