Health News
Kentucky is one of six states that has joined the Cervical Cancer-Free America initiative, led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The announcement was made today as the country observes National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
- Appalachian Women Are More Likely To Get Cervical Cancer And Die From It, But Pass Up Vaccine Partly Because Of Fatalistic Beliefs
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A fatalistic belief that getting or preventing cancer is beyond a person's control is one of many reasons young women in Appalachian Kentucky are likely to not get or complete the series of HPV vaccinations...
- E. Ky. Women Pass Up Breast, Cervical Cancer Screenings Due To Embarrassment, Misinformation; Fatalism May Play A Role
Appalachian Kentucky women often don't get available screening test for breast and cervical cancer because of embarrassment, lack of accurate information about availability and guidelines, and lack of encouragement from their doctors to get these...
- Eastern Kentucky Native Wants To Alert Appalachian Women About Their High Rate Of Cervical Cancer And How To Prevent It
University of Kentucky physician and Pike County native Baretta Casey, right, has spent most of her career providing health care and education throughout the state, with a focus on Appalachian Kentucky. The health disparities between Eastern...
- Facebook App Personalizes Message To Women About Getting Cervical Cancer Screening And Hpv Vaccine
To raise awareness about cervical cancer and ways to avoid getting it, the Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky Initiative has created a Facebook application that "incorporates pictures of users' Facebook pals into an educational video on cervical cancer,"...
- Funding Available To Help Communities Fight Cervical Cancer
For the second year, agencies, coalitions and community groups are invited to apply for funding to improve cervical cancer screening rates and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations in their areas. Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky, housed in the University...
Health News
Kentucky one of six states to join Cervical Cancer-Free America
Kentucky is one of six states that has joined the Cervical Cancer-Free America initiative, led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The announcement was made today as the country observes National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.As part of the initiative, members are encouraging public health officials to form coalitions to increase vaccination rates for girls ages 10 to 18 and encourage cervical cancer screening with the Pap test or, when appropriate, the human papillomavirus (HPV) test.
Kentucky ranks fifth nationwide in the number of new cervical cancer cases each year. "Each week, four to five women are diagnosed and, regrettably, at least one woman dies of the disease in Kentucky," reports Dr. Robert Hilgers, founder of the Kentucky Cervical Cancer Coalition.
HPV causes almost all cervical cancers, Hilgers said. There are no symptoms when first infected, but precancerous changes can take place at the cellular level. Precancerous changes can lead to cancer that involves the bladder, intestines, lungs and brain. "Patients usually do not have problems until the cancer becomes symptomatic or advanced and difficult to cure," Hilgers writes.
"The goal of eliminating cervical cancer is a lofty one, but eminently achievable," said Jennifer S. Smith, associate professor of epidemiology at UNC-Chapel Hill and director of CCFA. "(Our initiative) is working to make this vision a reality by driving state and local prevention programs, and ensuring that successful strategies are shared among states."
Every year, more than 12,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, American Cancer Society numbers show. Of those, 4,000 die. CCFA's new website features fact sheets, brochures and multimedia and online resources. (Read more)
- Appalachian Women Are More Likely To Get Cervical Cancer And Die From It, But Pass Up Vaccine Partly Because Of Fatalistic Beliefs
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A fatalistic belief that getting or preventing cancer is beyond a person's control is one of many reasons young women in Appalachian Kentucky are likely to not get or complete the series of HPV vaccinations...
- E. Ky. Women Pass Up Breast, Cervical Cancer Screenings Due To Embarrassment, Misinformation; Fatalism May Play A Role
Appalachian Kentucky women often don't get available screening test for breast and cervical cancer because of embarrassment, lack of accurate information about availability and guidelines, and lack of encouragement from their doctors to get these...
- Eastern Kentucky Native Wants To Alert Appalachian Women About Their High Rate Of Cervical Cancer And How To Prevent It
University of Kentucky physician and Pike County native Baretta Casey, right, has spent most of her career providing health care and education throughout the state, with a focus on Appalachian Kentucky. The health disparities between Eastern...
- Facebook App Personalizes Message To Women About Getting Cervical Cancer Screening And Hpv Vaccine
To raise awareness about cervical cancer and ways to avoid getting it, the Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky Initiative has created a Facebook application that "incorporates pictures of users' Facebook pals into an educational video on cervical cancer,"...
- Funding Available To Help Communities Fight Cervical Cancer
For the second year, agencies, coalitions and community groups are invited to apply for funding to improve cervical cancer screening rates and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations in their areas. Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky, housed in the University...