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By Jennifer Burchett

Clark County Health Department

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and the Clark County Health Department wants you to know that there is a lot you can do to prevent cervical cancer. Each year in the United States, 11,000 women get cervical cancer. Thirty-three women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day. The cervix is the lower part of a woman’s uterus. Without screening, a woman might not know she even has cervical cancer until it has spread.

Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the HPV or Human Papillomavirus. HPV is a widespread infection that is spread through sexual activity. HPV can infect both women and men, and since a HPV infection is often without symptoms, can be passed on without a person’s knowledge.

Some risk factors for developing cervical cancer are:

• Weakened immune system

• Cigarette smoking

• History of precancerous cervical lesions or a previous cervical cancer diagnosis

• More than 1 sexual partner

• Sexual intercourse before age 18

Two of the best ways to prevent cervical cancer are the HPV vaccine and regular Pap screening tests and follow-up care.

The HPV vaccine is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for preteens (both boys and girls) aged 11 to 12 years, but can be given as early as age 9 or as late as age 26 for women. The vaccine protects against the most common strains of the HPV virus.

The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for pre-cancers, which are cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.

The HPV test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes.

The Pap test is recommended for women between the ages of 21 and 65, and can be done in a doctor’s office, clinic, or the health department. Women should start getting Pap tests regularly at age 21. Your doctor or nurse practitioner may also recommend a HPV test, which can be done at the same time as your Pap test. If your test results are normal, your chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years is very low. If your test results are abnormal, numerous treatment options are available to remove the abnormal cells and prevent cervical cancer from developing.

Clark County Health Department participates in the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program to provide low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings to women meeting the following requirements:

• 21 to 64 years of age

• Household income at or below 250% of the current annual federal poverty guideline

• Uninsured and has no third-party payer source ( no Medicare, no Medicaid, and no private health insurance)

If a woman is screened and found to have pre-cancer or cancer of the breast or cervix, she may be eligible for treatment through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program.

Clark County Health Department also provides HPV vaccine for uninsured or underinsured children and children with Medicaid up through age 19. Low-cost HPV vaccines may also be available for men 19-21 years of age and women 19-26 years of age. For more information or to schedule an appointment for vaccines or a cancer screening, please call us at 859-744-4482. You can also “like” us on Facebook.