Women failing to attend smear tests

[guardianfree]

Women generally but young women in particular - 1 in 3 not attending.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/jos-cervical-cancer-trust-charity-smear-tests-terminal-illness-health-wellbeing-hospitals-a8171011.html

I know they're unpleasant (and often feel humiliating) but what can we do to reassure women that they can be life savers?

Yes granny, it's not that treatment will be inevitable for any given individual. But if you screen enough women, some of them will show changes that would have resolved themselves without treatment, but some of those women whose smears show changes will choose to have the treatment offered. Understandably.

And yes of course you can have your own feelings, but you're not entitled to your own facts. Which is what you're doing when you suggest two things are equivalent that are not.

It’s an interesting idea that women who stand their ground and refuse to do x or y and explain their reasons for it are seen as angry...

I haven’t seen anyone who is angry of this thread bar a couple of posts from people who can’t get their head around the idea one might choose not to do the smear test...

No screening programme is perfect, as is no immunisation programme, public health campaigns or any other programme which seeks to address issues of health. But, when screening is available (at great cost) and with research which addresses efficacy and the fact that cervical cancer screening has saved hundreds and thousands of lives worldwide, it is tantamount to sheer bloody mindedness to portray it in such a negative light as some posters have.

Outside the developed countries, many women are dying from cervical cancer. In the UK our rates low, because of screening. Now we can quibble about women being harrassed etc or ignorant......but both are probably true, only one side seems to want to ignore the possibility of the other. I believe the study by Jo's cancer trust, because I work with young women and they tell me the same things daily.....designer pubic free vagina's are a very real issue for many young women and it is affecting the way they feel about their bodies which then potentially affects everything else.

It’s an interesting idea that women who stand their ground and refuse to do x or y and explain their reasons for it are seen as angry...

It's because woman aren't deemed to be able to underatand things like this
Or make their own decisions that do.not agree with the men who are telling us what to do.

Yes I'm a man....yawn....... I just like to look at information from medical professionals rather than some tin foil hat conspiracy theorist.........

But there is evidence from medical professionals.

Also women aren't talking about tinfoil hat conspiracory theories, they are talking about their own personal experiences. Why do you jave such a problem with that? What does it have to do with you?

When it comes to you, and what you do with your body, then you can do the research and make your own decisions. Surely you can understand that other people have the same right to consent or not to their own medical procedures.

But, when screening is available (at great cost) and with research which addresses efficacy and the fact that cervical cancer screening has saved hundreds and thousands of lives worldwide, it is tantamount to sheer bloody mindedness to portray it in such a negative light as some posters have.

No it fucking well isn't.

Women have every right to point out legitimate issues. They're not doing something wrong by highlighting issues with pain, inadequacy of the system in dealing with abuse survivors and the very real risks of screening too. The latter being of especial importance because without it, there can be no informed consent. Something which you have yet to show evidence of giving a single fuck about.

This has been explained to you on a number of occasions now. We have reached the point where your failure to understand this is a problem of yours, and nobody else's.

But I have acknowledged those things...maybe try re reading when I have done that?? Cos I truly cannot be bothered.

The takeaway message from some is that there is no point, as rates of cervical cancer are so low, it is excruciatingly painful (not for all), and doctors push it to get funding. That is a very dangerous message for some to be portraying. A balanced approach is necessary in order to have informed consent. I don't care if some of you have smears, but I do care when impressionable young women are being told that cervical smears are unnecessary.

As it is that particular demographic which are affected in terms of take up, then those issues need addressing surely??

I believe the study by Jo's cancer trust, because I work with young women and they tell me the same things daily.....designer pubic free vagina's are a very real issue for many young women and it is affecting the way they feel about their bodies which then potentially affects everything else.

Firstly, every single vagina is pubic hair free naturally and they cannot be seen however 'akimbo' your legs are. If you are going to try and come on here and lecture women about their bodies, you should at least have the the repect and take the time to ensure you're talking about the correct body part.

Secondly, what about the 40something women who aren't bothered about waxing and have no concerns with how they appear or smell. Stop trivialising women and their individual, personal reasons for doing things.

PeacefulBlessing

If young women are not attending screening due to body image issues them it needs to be addressed, so why don't you stop telling other women like me what to do or what to think.......

Also 40 something eomen ARE attending cervical screening so moot point.

I haven't told a single person here what to think. Your reply doesn't make any sense.

Not all of them.

I'm 43 and I don't have them

If young women are not attending screening due to body image issues them it needs to be addressed

Ok. But then surely it is the body image issues in general and the way women are reduced to nothing more than attractive fuck holes for men would be a good place to start rather than berating those same women for feeling it.

You are telling me what I think is wrong, the very definition of telling me what to think?? I am as entitled to my opinion as are you.

I can and will discuss the issues of female bodies, there have been many debates on here about how damaging beauty standards are on women, it's a feminist issue. Now you can deny that as much as you wish but the research is showing that this pressure is affecting how young women are making health choices, this merits discussion.

You have never once addressed the issue of abuse survivors Walking, not once. Oddly enough I was specifically looking out for you to do that while you were informing us all that we're too thick to understand.

I'm afraid Walkingdead, I'm always concerned when people who demonstrate such an aggressive and dismissive attitude as you have on this thread announce that they work with young people. Makes me wonder how much they ever listen to them or whether they re simply more comfortable in working with those less powerful and therefore less likely to stand up to their belligerence.
Sorry, but your lack of respect for differing views has repeatedly derailed discussions which is a shame.

Xenophile

Not all abuse survivors will struggle, or are you saying that they will. I imagine that some would struggle and that NHS nurses would be compassionate in those circumstances? But that isn't what the study addressed and that is what is being discussed.

You are telling me what I think is wrong, the very definition of telling me what to think?? I am as entitled to my opinion as are you.

No. Me telling you I think you are wrong is me telling you what I think.

I can and will discuss the issues of female bodies, there have been many debates on here about how damaging beauty standards are on women, it's a feminist issue. Now you can deny that as much as you wish but the research is showing that this pressure is affecting how young women are making health choices, this merits discussion.

I think you need to read posts more carefully so you are replying to what people have actually said. In my last post, far from deny the issue of beauty ideals, I absolutely agreed that they need to be challenged.

What I did request though was that you use the correct body part labels. If you are going to lecture people at least get the words right.

guardianfree

Yes because I am the only one who has been aggressive🙄 and I am not the only one who thinks that the low take up rate by young women is worrying. Those of us who have expressed concern have been met with sarcasm, aggression and disregard. But yes, Continue to scapegoat me, and the NHS and Jo's Trust and every other organisation which is seeking to address the issues because clearly we don't have a clue what we are talking about.

Not all abuse survivors will struggle, or are you saying that they will. I imagine that some would struggle and that NHS nurses would be compassionate in those circumstances? But that isn't what the study addressed and that is what is being discussed.

The discussion is about the uptake of smears. This has been reduced to fear and vanity in younger women - silly vain women.

Other people are suggesting there might be other factors. So it is a relevant point.

Many sexual abuse survivors would feel uncomfortable. I'd be more surprised if they weren't. They might also not feel comfortable revealing it in the first place.

So let's take this to some logical conclusions....some years from now, there MAY be a rise in deaths from cervical cancer......this MAY be as a result of lower take up rates among some women. Who will get the blame for this I wonder?? Well I'll certainly be in the frame 😉 but usually it will be the NHS I would imagine. So here we have a study which is seeking to highlight the issue and thereby might do some good, I say might as it isn't being well received by some. So do we simply ignore or address the issues highlighted. Perhaps this study is flawed and other studies arise as a consequence, I don't know. But would you not agree that SOMETHING should be done or do we wait and see, hope for the best. But someone will be blamed, that is a definite.

My last smear test showed borderline results.
And the letter suggested the following points:

• the cell changes observed mostly do not lead to cancer. (But sometimes they do is the logical conclusion)
• the cell changes can indicate HPV. (But not in my case. No explanation offered for what it means to have cell changes without HPV)
• the word 'abnormal' was used to refer to the cell changes.
• it has been concluded my risk is low, and I can't have a repeat smear for three years.

So,to recap:
Your cervix has abnormal cells, we aren't offering an explanation of why or what this might mean, sometimes these abnormal cells lead to cancer, see you in 3 years.

I think that sending a letter like that is irresponsible.

If abnormal cells in the absence of HPV carry no additional risk to normal cells, then say that, explicitly. Otherwise letters like mine are tantamount to three years of worrying and hoping those abnormal cells don't lead to cancer whilst counting down the time until the next smear.

There is plenty of room for improvement in how the service communicates with and treats women and the respect for their ability to digest facts and make informed decisions.

barracker - I agree, I think the letter could be better worded. I think part of the problem here is that there is a certain coyness amongst the screening community about telling women they have had HPV or have cleared HPV.

My understanding is as follows: HPV causes changes to the cells of the cervix, and these are picked up by screening. In most cases, women clear HPV by themselevs, without any issue, and everything goes back to normal. So if you have abnormal cells, but no HPV, you don't need to worry as your cells will be fine. However, in some rare cases, for reasons we don't really understand, a woman struggles to clear the HPV infection. It persists, and it causes more and more changes and these are the cases that can - if left untreated - turn cancerous over time.

In summary, you don't need to worry. You'd cleared the HPV infection, and you are fine!

That isn't my understanding of hpv. Is it not true that hpv can lie dormant, much like the herpes virus and reappear even if cleared?

Maybe a personal text message rather than an official looking letter would be more effective?

NHS nurses would be compassionate in those circumstances

Oh yeah for sure. Especially because I introduce myself to HCPs with hi I’m batteries, let’s revisit my trauma before we proceed shall we?