Partnering For Progress 2007: The 'State' of Cervical Cancer Prevention in America

Objective

Women In Government's (WIG) Challenge to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Campaign is designed to advance a national dialogue on cervical cancer prevention by mobilizing state legislators, agency representatives and public health advocates to effect change. The “Partnering for Progress 2007” report assesses state cervical cancer prevention efforts by: incidence, mortality, Pap screening rates, Medicaid coverage of HPV testing, uninsured rates (by income), legislation mandating cervical cancer screening coverage, creating cervical cancer task forces/commissions and other miscellaneous legislation.

Results

The report shows how states are working with stakeholders to prevent cervical cancer, and tracks each state's performance since 2005. Overall, states have made great strides toward cervical cancer elimination. States faring the best:

• have higher cervical cancer screening rates;

• generally have higher rates of women with health insurance;

• cover advanced preventive screening technologies in their public insurance programs; and

• have adopted legislation to make cervical cancer elimination a top policy priority.

Conclusion

WIG urges stakeholders to step up their efforts by developing strategies and infrastructure to ensure that all women are screened using the most advanced and appropriate technologies available, and receive the HPV vaccine – regardless of their socioeconomic status, or other factors.

Background

WIG believes that cervical cancer can be eliminated if women are educated about the disease, and it's' cause, and have access to the most advanced and appropriate preventive technologies available, such as HPV testing and the HPV vaccine. WIG is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, bi-partisan organization of women state legislators.