Dear HIFA colleagues,
Thank you for your contributions to the discussion so far. We are now at the beginning of our 4th week, moving towards our WHO-HIFA webinar on 19 November.
What have we learned so far? What more can we learn?
Let's start with Q1: How do people in the community or workplace generally perceive cervical cancer? What concerns, beliefs or attitudes stand out?
Here are a few extracts from our discussion:
Diya Banerjee Sur (India): “In the remote villages of India where I work with the local women, about 90% are unaware of cervical cancer, and those who have heard of it do not understand the gravity of the disease. Also cancer is generally perceived in village populations as a death threat while many feel that if they don't have any symptoms, then they are safe... Men are reluctant to allow women to be screened for cervical cancer” Diya Banerjee Sur (India)
Neil Pakenham-Walsh, sharing research from Ethiopia: “What is the point of screening? After all, cancer is a killer; better off not knowing cancer will kill you” (34 years old male, Sodo Zuria).
Frank Brightwell (Dominican Republic): “Some younger women are reluctant to have a Pap for fear it will somehow leave them ‘marked,’ no longer a virgin; some fear that an abnormal result will be read as proof of a partner’s infidelity.”
We look forward to hear from other countries. Are women and men in your country aware of cervical cancer? Is it ever discussed? What do people in your country think about cervical cancer and cervical screening? What are their main concerns, beliefs or attitudes?
Please share your experience and expertise by email to: hifa@hifaforums.org
All inputs will be synthesised into a report to help inform future WHO advocacy.
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