Cancer Council urges residents to catch up on cervical screening

This fact has prompted Cancer Council Victoria to remind women and people with a cervix about the importance of regular cervical screening.

The Cancer Council Victoria research of 700 regional Victorian women revealed only one in five respondents knew that the test looks for a virus called human papillomavirus or HPV.

Read also: A decade of future farming celebrated

New research shows knowledge of this life-saving test is low, with less than half of eligible regional Victorians surveyed aware they needed to screen every five years.

The Cervical Screening Test replaced the Pap Test in 2017 and looks for a virus called HPV (human papillomavirus) which causes almost all cervical cancers.

The test is offered every five years to women and people with a cervix aged 25-74 to protect against cervical cancer.

Cancer Council Victoria's Kate Broun said that the findings were concerning, and that low knowledge of the Cervical Screening Test could impact participation, putting more people at risk of cervical cancer.

"The Cervical Screening Test is the best way to protect yourself against cervical cancer," Ms Broun said.

"It's so important that everyone who is eligible for cervical screening knows when to screen and what their testing options are so that they have the best chance of protecting themselves."

Read also: Eagles swoop on former premiership coach

From 2018-2021, it's estimated that in Victoria only 62 per cent of eligible women and people with a cervix participated in cervical screening.

In the Grampians and Wimmera area, participation was even lower at 53.9 per cent.

Ms Broun urges those who has been putting off their Cervical Screening Test to speak to their doctor and find out about the new testing option called self-collection that can be done in a private space in a health clinic.

"If you haven't done a Cervical Screening Test in a while, check in with your doctor to see if you're due and discuss your testing options, including self-collection," she said.

"With the self-collection test, you can take your own sample from the vagina using a swab. It's completely private, it only takes a couple of minutes and it's just as accurate as a test done by a doctor or specially trained nurse."

Read also: Nominations open for Australia Day Awards

Cancer Council Victoria has recently launched a new campaign to increase awareness of cervical screening in regional Victoria.

The campaign will run on digital channels across regional areas throughout October and November.

To find out more about cervical screening, visit cancervic.org.au/cervical.

Do you want to read more local news? Click HERE