January is cervical health awareness month



January is Cervical Health Awareness Month

The National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC), based in Los Angeles County, raises awareness on the importance of cervical cancer detection and prevention. As a community partner, they have been asked to develop our January health note.

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During January, Cervical Health Awareness Month, it is important to spread the word on cervical cancer prevention. Cervical cancer is a cancer we can stop. Everyone should know that there is now an FDA-approved vaccine that can be given to girls and young women ages 9 -26 to prevent infection from the 4 types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause 70% of cervical cancers.

And most important is the ongoing message that early detection with the Pap test can save lives. Women need to remember to schedule their regular Pap test, even if they have had the vaccine.

LA County resident Nicole Greene, mother to four young children, is battling advanced stages of cervical cancer. She tells us: "YES, early detection with your regular Pap test is so important. Please remember to take care of your health and prevent cervical cancer from coming into your home."

Although cervical cancer incidence has been gradually declining, health disparities exist. Between 2004 and 2005, there was a slight increase in incidence among Latinas, African-American women and Asian/Pacific Islander women in Los Angeles County.[1]

Asian/Pacific Islander women have significantly lower screening rates compared to other ethnicities in Los Angeles County and California. [2] African-American and white women showed a decline in mortality since 1997, with African-American women having the greatest decline. In 2005, at the local and state level. Latinas have the highest incidence and mortality rates for cervical cancer.[3]

Sarina Araujo, Executive Director of the NCCC and a resident of LA County, is a woman who battled persistent HPV and abnormal Paps. She states: “It is so important to make sure our daughters are receiving their regular cervical cancer screening. Early detection saves lives. I remind my daughters to get their Pap test regularly and an HPV test if recommended by their clinician."

Remember to speak out during January and all year long and you can help prevent cervical cancer too.

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For more information on the NCCC and their programs, please visit their award-winning website: nccc-online,org.

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[1] Liu, L., Zhang J, Deapen D. Cancer in Los Angeles County: Incidence and Mortality by Race/Ethnicity 1988-2005. Los Angeles County Cancer Surveillance Program, University of Southern California, 2008.

[2] UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Women’s Health in California: Health Status, Health Behaviors, Health Insurance Coverage, and Use ofServices Among California Women Ages 18-64, August 2008. Available online at .

[3] California Cancer Registry, California Department of Public Health, Oct 2007. ca/

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