Older women ‘lack understanding of cervical cancer prevention’

A lack of awareness and understanding of cervical cancer prevention methods is putting older women in the UK at an elevated risk of harm caused by the disease.

New research by Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and Gransnet has indicated that 32 percent of women over 50 do not think cervical screening via smear tests are a key part of overall female health, while 22 percent do not think they are important to have regularly.

Moreover, 33 percent admitted to having delayed or failing to attend these tests, with an average delay of 26 months. In ten percent of cases, this delay lasted for more than five years.

This is despite the fact that the number of diagnoses of the disease every day in the UK has risen from eight to nine, meaning 3,207 women a year are identified as having the condition.

By 2040, it is expected that the incidence of cervical cancer will increase by 16 percent among 60 to 64-year-olds and 85 percent among 70 to 74-year-olds if current uptake of cervical screening remains the same.

Robert Music, chief executive of Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, said: "Relevance, accessibility and flexibility are significant barriers to cervical screening among this group and, coupled with our modelling work, which shows terrifying long-term increases in incidence and mortality among this age group, it has never been more crucial that we act."