In this Medical News Minute, Dr. Bobby Lazzara discusses some of the reasons why women are avoiding cervical smear testing for HPV.
Are women avoiding cervical smear testing for HPV?
A recent survey of over 2000 women by a cervical cancer trust came up with some potentially alarming answers to that questions.
In the survey 40% of women believed that if they tested positive it meant their partner had been unfaithful.
Forty percent were worried about the social impact of testing positive for the HPV virus and how it reflected on them personally.
Two-thirds of those surveyed were concerned if they tested positive it meant they had cancer.
One third were unaware of the link between HPV and cancer.
Clearly the answer is not only educating women about HPV but everyone.
Because what we have here is a failure to communicate.
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