Frequency of cervical cancer screenings among women (18-64 years) in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area

Recent FDA approval of an HPV vaccine, coupled with the growing use of DNA testing for HPV, suggests that the incidence of cervical cancer in the U.S will decline. Clinical screening for cervical cancer, via the Pap test, however, remains an essential tool in detecting cervical cancer cases, particularly among women beyond the recommended HPV vaccination guidelines of 9-26 years. Findings for this presentation, which examine Pap testing, derive from PHMC's 2006 Household Health Survey, a biannual telephone survey of 10,000 households in Philadelphia and surrounding PA counties. Preliminary findings suggest that 84.9% of women 18-64 years have had a Pap test within the previous two years; however, women 30-64 years (15.8%) were significantly more likely than women 18-29 years (12.6%) to have not had a Pap test within the previous two years (p<.05). In addition, 8.5% of women 18-64 years have either not been screened in 5+ years or have never been screened—placing them at greater risk of undetected cervical cancer. These percentages are highest among Latinas (13.9%), compared to white (8.5%) and black (6.1%) women. Additional analyses will examine other socio-economic characteristics among women who have either not recently received or have never received this cancer screening. Despite the advent of the HPV vaccine, cervical cancer screenings remain an important tool in early detection. The heightened visibility of cervical cancer, particularly media coverage of the new vaccine, presents an opportunity for public health education about the importance of Pap testing for those not vaccinated.