This is an update to the blog “Cervical Cancer and reports that state 1 in 4 women miss smear tests” originally posted in December 2016.
Today the BBC has revealed that nearly a quarter of women who do not attend appointments are not aware that cervical screening exists.
This is concerning given the screening is a key step in battling cervical cancer and saving lives.
The BBC Article which can be read here states that around 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the UK and 900 women die from it.
Cervical screening is thought to prevent about 2,000 deaths each year.
It is therefore essential that health services and society think about the way in which we can make women aware of the process and increase the number of attendances.
The University College London researchers said more creative ways of reaching them were needed, like using social media instead of sending letters and we have seen Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust utilising social media by way of their #SmearForSmear campaign which took place earlier this year.
We support finding better ways of communicating with women about screening, rather than relying on letters in the post which clearly are not working and do not explain what the test is and why it is so important.
