Thanks to Anu Mary Oommen (India), Mark Lodge (UK), Frank Brightwell (Dominican Republic) and others who have highlighted the role of stigma. I invite us to explore this and how it can be addressed.
Here is a recent paper on the topic. The authors are US-based but the perspective is global.
CITATION: Cervical cancer stigma – A silent barrier to the elimination of cervical cancer
Cancer. 2025 Feb 28;131(5):e35776. doi: 10.1002/cncr.35776
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11869935/
'Stigma presents a unique and underexplored barrier to cervical cancer control. Novel methods to reduce stigma can be employed to reduce the global burden of this disease...
'Stigma, a powerful social process involving negative labeling and stereotyping of certain human characteristics as socially undesirable, remains a significant but often overlooked barrier to cervical cancer prevention efforts. 6 Although the understanding that the HPV infection acquired through sexual contact was the cause of cervical cancer was a major scientific breakthrough, this discovery also linked stigma surrounding the female reproductive tract, sexual contact, and promiscuity to cancer prevention efforts...
'Although the understanding that the HPV infection acquired through sexual contact was the cause of cervical cancer was a major scientific breakthrough, this discovery also linked stigma surrounding the female reproductive tract, sexual contact, and promiscuity to cancer prevention efforts..
'In conclusion, cervical cancer stigma represents a silent yet pervasive barrier to the elimination of cervical cancer. The impact of stigma influences women at risk for and living with cervical cancer across the globe, regardless of geographic location, socioeconomic status, or other factors. Urgent action is needed to address this complex and multifaceted challenge and create supportive environments for affected individuals. Innovative, collective efforts can alleviate the burden of cervical cancer stigma and assist in the achievement of WHO's cervical cancer elimination goals.'
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org