Cervical cancer is a serious disease, but it can often be prevented through regular screenings. Unfortunately, not everyone goes for these screenings.
Why?
Well, first off, the screening process can be uncomfortable and stressful.
Then, if your first test shows something might be wrong, you have to go back for more tests, which can be even more worrying and expensive.
Even though the law says the first screening test should be free for those who are eligible, the follow-up tests aren’t free.
These extra tests can cost a lot of money, and because of this, some people choose not to go back for them.
This is a big problem because these follow-up tests are crucial for catching any signs of cancer early on.
A team of researchers from the University of Michigan decided to look into this issue. They used a computer to analyze data on cervical cancer screenings, follow-up tests, and the current guidelines for who should be screened.
Their study, which was published in a new journal called O&G Open by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, showed something very important: if everyone who should get screened did go through the full screening and follow-up tests, we could see up to 23% fewer cervical cancer diagnoses and 20% fewer deaths from this preventable disease.
The research highlights how important it is to see cancer screening as a complete process, not just a one-time test. This approach can save lives and also save money for both patients and insurance companies.
For example, a recent change made follow-up colonoscopies free if a home stool test indicates a possible problem. This kind of thinking could help more people complete their cervical cancer screening process too.
Getting 100% of eligible people to complete all the necessary steps for cervical cancer screening might not be possible, but even small improvements could make a big difference.
The study’s lead, Dr. A. Mark Fendrick, mentioned that making follow-up tests more affordable and reducing other barriers could encourage more people to complete their screenings.
Dr. Diane Harper, another researcher involved in the study, pointed out that changes are coming that could make initial screenings more accurate and even allow some tests to be done at home.
Despite these advancements, it’s crucial to help women complete the entire screening process to catch any issues as early as possible.
The study also notes the impact of the HPV vaccine. Young women who received the vaccine have a lower risk of cervical cancer.
However, they still need to get screened because the vaccine doesn’t protect against all types of HPV. This is especially important as the types of HPV not covered by the vaccine are becoming more common.
These findings could influence future guidelines on cervical cancer screening, helping to ensure that more people get the preventive services they need without any cost under the Affordable Care Act.
Ultimately, the goal is to make the screening process easier and more affordable for everyone. By doing so, we could significantly reduce the number of cervical cancer cases and deaths, making a huge difference in many lives.
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The research findings can be found in O&G Open.
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