African-American women in South Carolina more likely to have cervical cancer than white women
September 12, 2015
A critical need in meeting these challenges is having community partners work with women in cities and rural areas around the Palmetto State.Social worker Tiffany Stewart, a community liaison, said, "When community residents, community-based organizations and institutions that will be affected are involved in initiating and promoting a call to action, then permanent, successful change is more likely to occur."One such effort is the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Z-HOPE (Zetas Helping Other People Excel through Mind, Body and Spirit) Program, which is focused on increasing cervical cancer awareness among college students.Among the findings reported in the journal:??? S.C. women who did not receive a Pap test were more likely to be over age 65, unmarried, have less than a high-school education and be from a non-Hispanic race group, including African Americans.??? Nearly one-fourth of women not receiving a Pap test lacked healthcare coverage and nearly 20 percent were unable to see a healthcare provider because of costs.??? A telephone survey of African-American and white women found that about half of the study's 1,002 respondents had "high" levels of knowledge about the human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted infection that has been linked to cervical cancer. However, African-American women knew less about the virus than white women.??? A study of young women, ages 14 - 20, found that about 34 percent would not get the HPV vaccine because of cost.??? A study on the Upstate Witness Project, which addresses breast cancer and cervical cancer among African-American women, found that training "witnesses" and lay health advisers to be an effective method to reach women. The program was tested in African-American churches in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson and Pickens counties.??? A study of Latina women in South Carolina found that very few understood the purpose of the Pap test. Most Latina women sought healthcare for prenatal services.Glover said the scientific articles, reports on community programs and editorials highlight the challenges of addressing cervical cancer in the Palmetto State."This journal is an important step in our efforts. The work reported here by scientists, doctors and community healthcare providers will enable us to enhance our efforts to address cervical cancer in South Carolina and throughout the United States," she said. sph.sc/health%5Fdisparities/