- Conference
- 2016 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2015
- Decision
- Carried
Cervical cancer remains the most common cancer in women under the age of 35 and yet cervical cancer screening can prevent up to 80% of cases of the disease.
• Up to 3000 women are diagnosed per year
• Up to 1000 women die per year despite screening
• Biggest risk: non-attendance of screening programme
These are the symptoms of cervical cancer:
• irregular bleeding
• unusual discharge
• pelvic pain
• bleeding after sex
Conference, the rates of cervical cancer for Black women needs to be addressed. In a community-based survey of 876 Black women who presented to hair salons in London were asked about their knowledge of cervical cancer and reasons for non attendance at screening sessions. Their study found that women were more likely to be overdue screening if they were:
• Younger
• Single
• African (26% compared with 18% of Caribbean women.
Further a 2009 National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) report suggests that there are higher rates of cervical cancer in Black and Asian females aged 65 years and over, compared with White females.
A study by health think-tank Demos revealed 23 per cent of Black women admitted they had never attended a screening appointment – compared to 14 per cent of white British women. In a study of South Asian women, a third of those who had been born overseas had never been screened.
Similar to other studies with Black women they found an association between knowledge and screening behaviour which could suggest interventions designed to increase awareness might consequently have a positive influence on behaviour.
For example, cervical screening conducted over five years covering the target age group (of 25-64) by the Primary Care Organisation in England, 31st March 2013 found the following:
Age-standardised rates for White females with cervical cancer range from 8.2 to 8.7 per 100,000. Rates for African and Caribbean females are similar, ranging from 6.3 to 11.2 per 100,000, whereas the rates for Asian females are significantly lower, ranging from 3.6 to 6.5 per 100,000.
Cervical screening is not a test for cancer but is a method of preventing cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities which can prevent the disease before it gets started.” A 100 per cent screening rate would almost halve the number of women facing cervical cancer and also save 1,176 lives over a five-year period.
It is important to dispel the myths and fear surrounding screening to encourage more women to attend It is also vital that women are able to access services at times that are convenient for them – this may mean the provision of cervical screening at clinics with extended opening hours at evening and weekends.
Doctors have long thought that less access to screening and follow-up health care were the reasons Black women are 40 per cent more likely to develop cervical cancer and twice as likely to die from it.
Conference, health information is crucial for people to be able to understand risks and symptoms, to make informed life choices, to navigate the services and information available and to act on advice. Most of the information provided by the NHS is in text format and in English. This can be a barrier not just for Black women who may have low or no literacy in written English but also for those with low educational attainment, learning difficulties or disabilities, those with British Sign Language as a first language and people with sight problems. As a result of this lack of information and support in a format suitable to them a further survey found that Black cancer patients were less likely to understand their diagnosis and treatment options.
We are concerned that amongst Black women there is a lower cancer screening services uptake, lower level of awareness of causes, signs and symptoms of cervical cancer. We would therefore like to see publications in a range of languages, incorporating more Black imagery in health promotion material, contributing to Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness Week and general Black community engagement.
Conference therefore calls upon the national women‘s committee to work with the NEC to:
• Work with relevant organisations and the National Black members to promote materials highlighting the symptoms of cervical cancer and incidences amongst Black women
• Include information on cervical cancer in the women’s health pack
• Work with the health service group on seeking to influence Clinical Commissioning Groups and Public Health England to raise awareness and encourage more Black women to attend screening
• Work with organisations such as the National Cancer Action Team (NCAT) to signpost members to information in different community languages
