A survey by the charity, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust found that one in four young women in the UK are embarrassed to take a pap smear test.
Over 2,000 women were surveyed. The result showed that 38 percent of them concern over smelling, 35 percent were worried their body shapes, and 34 percent thought about their vulva appearance.
The data is released at the start of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. The charity also launches the smear test campaign with hashtag #SmearForSmear.
It is Cervical Cancer Awareness Week and I URGE all women to have your #smeartest if you are due one. I had pre Cancerous cells removed a few years ago and only knew they were there thanks to the Smear. Don’t delay. #CCPW #SmearForSmear #CervicalCancer
— Tracy Wood (@tracywooduk) January 22, 2018
Come on ladies, don’t be embarrassed your #smeartest can save your life it takes less than 5 minutes I dread to think what could have happened if I hadn’t of gone to mine …I want to see my children grow up. #SmearForSmear
— Jo (@TheKnightTribe) January 22, 2018
Yeah, I know it’s not very nice. I used to put it off. “I’ll do it next week” I’d say. And then next week would become the week after. But forget the small amount of unpleasantness and remember it could save your life. #SmearForSmear
— Rachel Hawkins (@ourrachblogs) January 22, 2018
According to the last data from Office for National Statistic, 27,556 women were newly diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2015. Around 90% of them were in the early stages.
West Midlands figures
In England, West Midlands is the top 5 for newly diagnosed cervical cancer. In 2015, there were 3,198 women diagnosed with it.
About 92% were still in early stages or Carcinoma in situ of cervix uteri. The rest of them were in more than stage 1.