The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows the participation of Australian women aged 20-24 years having regular Pap tests every two years is both low and decreasing (falling from 47.1% in 2007-2008 to 42.8% in 2009-2010). With the report also showing this age group has the highest detection rate of high-grade abnormalities (precancerous cells) than any other age group, it is very worrying so many are putting themselves at risk of potentially serious cervical disease going undetected.
Additionally, as many of these young women are now receiving the HPV vaccine, Australia's Cervical Screening Program is undergoing a review involving an assessment of newer science and technologies like liquid-based cytology. Joe Tooma, CEO of the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF) says there is no better time to spread the word about Pap tests.
Tooma says "The current rate of Pap tests is particularly shocking in women aged 20-24. Complacency is an extremely alarming issue and young women need to understand that even if they have had the HPV vaccine, it only protects against 70-80% of cervical cancer caused by HPV so they still need to have regular Pap tests. Unfortunately the hard truth is the majority of women diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer have never had Pap tests."
In order to spread awareness and impart trusted information and support of the importance of regular Pap tests online where this core age group is spending a lot of their time, the ACCF has partnered with Healthshare (www.healthshare.com.au), Australia's Interactive Health Network in the Cervical Cancer online community. Women can ask questions, read expert health guides and get free information by some of Australia's leading experts in cervical disease prevention, detection and treatment. Some of the featured experts include Professor Jonathan Carter, Certified Gynaecologic Oncologist, Head of the Sydney Gynaecologic Oncology Group and Head of Gynaecology Services at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Dr David Wrede, a highly experienced Obstetrician & Gynaecologist with special interests in Oncology.
The ThinPrep® Pap test, sponsor of the community, has published questions and answers and health guides available on Healthshare. The ThinPrep® Pap test, which uses liquid-based cytology, is clinically proven to be 27% more effective at detecting high-grade abnormalities than the conventional Pap test. It is also proven to be 56% more effective at finding low-grade abnormalities.
Research by the ACCF shows women under the age of 25 are more than twice as likely as older age groups to believe a Pap test is not as important for them as it is for older women. "This is another worrying figure, especially as the nature of cervical cancer means that if detected early, the disease is usually highly treatable. Awareness of the importance of regular Pap tests for these younger women despite having had the HPV vaccine is the key to prevention," added Tooma.
Joe Tooma, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation
Question: Why do you believe the rate is decreasing?
Joe Tooma: We are concerned that the reason this is happening is that there is a lack of information and understanding about the vaccine. This is not only at the time of receiving the vaccine (generally at around the age of 12-13) but also there is almost a complete lack of information and awareness given to girls and boys as they get older and particularly in their late teens as they start becoming sexually active. Here at the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation we have designed a Program called CCAPS- Cervical Cancer Awareness Program for Schools which is designed to give this information to students and to make them aware of the link between HPV and cervical cancers as well as other cancers so that they can make informed decisions in the future.
Question: Does the rate increase from the age of 24 years?
Joe Tooma: The report shows that about 58% of 20-24 year old women are not having their regular 2-yearly Pap tests. Some good news is that as women get older they are more likely to get Pap tests but STILL 43% of Australian women are not having Pap tests regularly enough. Generally, every year 2 million women have a Pap test- 3.5 million should be!
MORE