Closing the Gap: What Every Woman Should Know About Cervical Cancer Prevention

January Is Cervical Health Awareness Month: Prevention, Equity, and Early Detection

Women’s Health & Cancer Prevention Blog

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, a timely reminder that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers when education, access, and early detection are prioritized.

Thanks to widespread screening and HPV vaccination, cervical cancer rates have declined in recent decades. Yet significant disparities persist. Black and Latina women are far more likely to die from cervical cancer than their white counterparts, largely due to gaps in healthcare access, delayed diagnosis, and inadequate follow-up care.

This month, we highlight the tools that save lives—and advocate for a future in which every woman, regardless of race, income, or zip code, has access to the care she deserves.

What Is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer begins in the cells of the cervix the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. The primary cause is persistent infection with certain high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common sexually transmitted infection.

Most HPV infections resolve on their own. However, when high-risk strains persist, they can cause abnormal cervical cell changes that may progress to cancer over time. Fortunately, routine screening can detect these changes early often long before cancer develops.

Prevention and Early Detection

Cervical cancer is highly preventable and treatable when caught early. Key prevention tools include:

  • Pap Smear (Pap Test): Detects abnormal cervical cell changes

  • HPV Test: Identifies high-risk HPV strains linked to cervical cancer

  • HPV Vaccine: Protects against the HPV types most commonly associated with cancer

    • Recommended for all children starting at ages 11–12

    • Approved through age 26

    • Some adults ages 27–45 may also benefit consult a healthcare provider

Screening Guidelines (American Cancer Society)

  • Begin screening at age 25 with an HPV test every 5 years

  • Alternatively:

    • Co-testing (Pap + HPV) every 5 years, or

    • Pap test alone every 3 years

  • Continue screening through age 65, depending on personal risk and screening history

Addressing Health Inequities

Despite advances in prevention, outcomes remain unequal:

  • Black women are nearly 70% more likely to die from cervical cancer than white women

  • Latina women experience higher incidence rates

These disparities are driven by:

  • Limited access to preventive care

  • Lower HPV vaccination rates in some communities

  • Delayed follow-up after abnormal screening results

  • Systemic barriers such as cost, language, transportation, and medical mistrust

Improving outcomes requires more than awareness it demands timely screening, culturally competent care, and equitable access at every stage of prevention and treatment.

A Personal Perspective: Maria’s Story

Maria, a 37-year-old mother of three from Montgomery County, Maryland, postponed her annual checkups for two years while juggling multiple jobs. When she finally scheduled a visit, her Pap test showed abnormal cells. A follow-up biopsy confirmed early-stage cervical cancer.

After surgery and treatment, Maria is now cancer-free.

“If I had waited another year, it might’ve been too late,” she says.

Today, Maria brings her sisters, friends, and coworkers to group screenings.

“We have to talk about this—we have to take care of each other.”

Local Resources: Screening and Support in the DMV

National Resources

Final Thoughts

Cervical cancer is tragic when left undetected—but it is largely preventable when barriers to care are removed.

This January, schedule your screening, talk openly with loved ones, and help raise awareness in your community. Early action saves lives.

Together, we can close the gap—and protect future generations.

Dr. Bertrand Fote, MD, MBA, FACEP, CF2
Emergency Medicine Physician & Health Equity Advocate

What Is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer begins in the cells of the cervix the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. The primary cause is persistent infection with certain high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common sexually transmitted infection.

Most HPV infections resolve on their own. However, when high-risk strains persist, they can cause abnormal cervical cell changes that may progress to cancer over time. Fortunately, routine screening can detect these changes early often long before cancer develops.

Prevention and Early Detection

Cervical cancer is highly preventable and treatable when caught early. Key prevention tools include:

  • Pap Smear (Pap Test): Detects abnormal cervical cell changes

  • HPV Test: Identifies high-risk HPV strains linked to cervical cancer

  • HPV Vaccine: Protects against the HPV types most commonly associated with cancer

    • Recommended for all children starting at ages 11–12

    • Approved through age 26

    • Some adults ages 27–45 may also benefit consult a healthcare provider

Screening Guidelines (American Cancer Society)

  • Begin screening at age 25 with an HPV test every 5 years

  • Alternatively:

    • Co-testing (Pap + HPV) every 5 years, or

    • Pap test alone every 3 years

  • Continue screening through age 65, depending on personal risk and screening history

Addressing Health Inequities

Despite advances in prevention, outcomes remain unequal:

  • Black women are nearly 70% more likely to die from cervical cancer than white women

  • Latina women experience higher incidence rates

These disparities are driven by:

  • Limited access to preventive care

  • Lower HPV vaccination rates in some communities

  • Delayed follow-up after abnormal screening results

  • Systemic barriers such as cost, language, transportation, and medical mistrust

Improving outcomes requires more than awareness it demands timely screening, culturally competent care, and equitable access at every stage of prevention and treatment.

A Personal Perspective: Maria’s Story

Maria, a 37-year-old mother of three from Montgomery County, Maryland, postponed her annual checkups for two years while juggling multiple jobs. When she finally scheduled a visit, her Pap test showed abnormal cells. A follow-up biopsy confirmed early-stage cervical cancer.

After surgery and treatment, Maria is now cancer-free.

“If I had waited another year, it might’ve been too late,” she says.

Today, Maria brings her sisters, friends, and coworkers to group screenings.

“We have to talk about this—we have to take care of each other.”

Local Resources: Screening and Support in the DMV

National Resources

Final Thoughts

Cervical cancer is tragic when left undetected—but it is largely preventable when barriers to care are removed.

This January, schedule your screening, talk openly with loved ones, and help raise awareness in your community. Early action saves lives.

Together, we can close the gap—and protect future generations.

Dr. Bertrand Fote, MD, MBA, FACEP, CF2
Emergency Medicine Physician & Health Equity Advocate

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