Fewer young women going for regular pap smears

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDAug 24 2010

According to new research findings, the number of young women going for a regular Pap smear test is dwindling. This test is a simple procedure that looks at the cervical cells and can detect cervical cancer early on. In 2001-02, 67% Australian women aged 20-69 went for a Pap smear, a number that went down to 60% in 2008-09. These are the lowest rates in the decade.

The number of women aged 20 to 24 regularly tested fell to just 47.4 per cent since 1996, while women aged 25-29 dropped from 64.5 per cent to 56.3 per cent. Women in their early 30s also showed a decline, down from 68.2 per cent in 1998 to 61.6 per cent in 2008.

According to Pap Screen Victoria manager Kate Broun only about half of the women aged 20-29 were having a Pap test every two years – something that the national guidelines recommend. This compared to two of three older women who took the test. She also revealed that nearly 90% of Victorian women diagnosed with cervical cancer had never had a Pap test, or had not had the test regularly in the decade before their diagnosis. This latest survey of 1,000 women found that the embarrassment and awkwardness of the procedure was the biggest deterring factor. 28% of those who took the test and 52% of those who did not cited this as the reason.

Regular HPV vaccination, which can protect women against cervical cancer, might also be behind the decline as young girls believed they no longer needed tests. Kate Broun explained that the vaccine was not enough for complete protection against cervical cancer and Pap smears are still necessary. She said, "It is possible that many women believe they are fully protected against cervical cancer once they've had the vaccine… In fact, it only protects against the two types of HPV (human papillomavirus) that cause 70 per cent of cervical cancers."

The latest campaign to spread the message is funded by the state government and is targeting women aged 25 to 35. Advertisements will be comparing Pap tests to leg waxing or dancing in high heels, with the catch line: “A little awkward for a lot of peace of mind.”