Importance of cervical cancer screenings

By April Speck, Coordinator,

Clinton County Healthy Hometown Coalition

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month

The goal of screening for cervical cancer is to find cervix cell changes and early cervical cancers before they cause symptoms. Screening refers to the use of tests and exams to find a disease, such as cancer, in people who do not have any symptoms. Early detection means applying a strategy that results in an earlier diagnosis of cervical cancer than otherwise might have occurred. Screening tests offer the best chance to detect cervical cancer at an early stage when successful treatment is likely. Screening can also actually prevent most cervical cancers by finding abnormal cervix cell changes (pre-cancers) so that they can be treated before they have a chance to turn into a cervical cancer.

Cancer of the cervix may be prevented or detected early by regular screening with the Pap test (sometimes combined with a test for human papilloma virus). If it is detected early, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treatable cancers. In the United States, the cervical cancer death rate declined by almost 70 percent between 1955 and 1992, in large part due to the effectiveness of Pap test screening. In recent years, the death rates from cervical cancer have been stable.

Despite the recognized benefits of cervical cancer screening, not all American women take advantage of it. About half of the cervical cancers diagnosed in the United States are found in women who were never screened for the disease, with another 10 percent found in women who hadn’t been screened within the past five years. In particular, older women, those without health insurance, and women who have recently immigrated are less likely to have regular cervical cancer screening.

If you have questions or concerns please contact your family doctor.

Healthy Hometown Coalition events:

AES Walking Buddies is going strong, but we still need CCHS students to be positive role models to our younger students. If you are interested, please go to AES Monday-Friday between 7:15 am-7:35 am. CCHS students will receive volunteer hours!

Nutrition Tabletop Discussion is rescheduled for Tuesday, January 21st 1:00 pm at Clinton County Extension Office.

CCHS students have begun teaching and facilitating the Take 10! curriculum with ECC students. CCHS students will focus on small 10 minute exercises to get the students physically active and to help stimulate learning.

For more information contact Healthy Hometown Coordinator, April Speck at april.speck@clinton.kyschools

Healthy Hometown is working toward a “healthy” Clinton County. Follow Healthy Hometown Project on Twitter: @HealthyHomeKY , and on Facebook: Kentucky’s Healthy Hometown Initiative-Clinton County.