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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Sarah Wells, MA, Senior Director of Public Policy, Women In Government, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 709, Washington, DC 20037, 2023330825x213, swells@womeningovernment.org and Kathryn Guccione, Policy Associate, Women In Government, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 709, Washington, DC 20037.

Worldwide, cervical cancer kills almost a quarter-million women each year. In the United States, an estimated 10,370 women are diagnosed with, and more than 3,700 women die of cervical cancer each year. Women In Government, a nonprofit, bipartisan educational association of women state legislators, believes that every woman, no matter what her socioeconomic status, must be informed and educated about HPV and cervical cancer and have access to the most advanced and appropriate prevention strategies. Given the tremendous need to overcome screening, educational and other barriers, coupled with the interest and enthusiasm of legislators, public health advocates, agency representatives, and clinicians, Women In Government convened the first “Annual Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer Summit” in 2005. Three research questions guided discussions among stakeholders at the Summit and provide the basis for a white paper: 1) How can stakeholders overcome racial/socioeconomic disparities to reach rarely and never-screened women? 2) How can new/emerging technologies be incorporated into existing prevention programs? 3) How can women become more educated about HPV, cervical cancer, and the need for prevention and screening? As a result of discussion at the Summit, Women In Government has developed a paradigm to eliminate cervical cancer wherein stakeholders, regardless of their primary interests, join forces to affect change. This framework of collaborative strategies offers broad and specific recommendations for increasing disease awareness and mobilizing individuals to seek screening and preventive services. The comprehensive approach presented within this paper can be applied as a model for other important public health issues.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Identify the cause of cervical cancer and define opportunities for awareness and prevention.
• Develop key public health partnerships to eliminate this preventable disease.
• Evaluate existing prevention and awareness programs; and employ strategies for the enhancement of these programs.

Keywords: Cervical Cancer, Challenges and Opportunities

Related Web page: www.womeningovernment.org/prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Handout (.ppt format, 2341.5 kb)