Amidst the whirlwind of the last year, communications about the move to human papillomavirus (HPV) testing within cervical screening have taken a backseat. In Scotland, the change happened just as the UK went into lockdown, and in England and Wales there remain many women and people with a cervix who have not attended since the change in programme.
Cervical screening awareness week
14–20 June is Cervical Screening Awareness Week. We have a valuable opportunity to highlight the importance of the test but also to communicate what HPV testing is, and what it means to have HPV. Improving screening uptake remains essential, yet it shouldn't be a tick box exercise where we overlook the needs of those faced with HPV or a cell changes diagnosis: not only to reduce anxiety but to retain confidence and trust in the programme.
Providing support and removing stigma
For those of us armed with the facts about HPV, a diagnosis may seem straightforward. However these three letters are what we hear the most about through our support services at Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and this continues to increase. For many callers the first time they heard about HPV was in their result letter, and confusion, fear and anxiety are common reactions. Connotations of promiscuity, feeling dirty and assumptions it means cancer are things we regularly hear, with callers often making significant lifestyle changes to try and clear the infection. For those diagnosed with cell changes or cancer, the HPV diagnosis itself can bring long-lasting, and sometimes severe impacts on mental health.
‘When I first saw on my letter that I had been diagnosed as being HPV positive, I didn't know what it was. When I Googled it, lots of places said it was a sexually transmitted infection, so I automatically thought my partner had been cheating. I knew nothing about it, and it felt dirty. No-one I spoke to had heard of it.’
Improving screening uptake remains essential, yet it shouldn't be a tick box exercise where we overlook the needs of those faced with HPV or a cell changes diagnosis.
A lot of work has gone into removing the stigma from cervical screening and encouraging conversation about the test. We must now work to ensure that the move to HPV testing, a far superior testing method, does not undo our progress.
We also want to see Northern Ireland take the important step of moving to HPV testing, the last country of the UK still using cytology as the first test. HPV testing paves the way for HPV self-sampling, something we know many will find a far more acceptable option.
Getting the facts out about cervical screening
Cervical screening is a difficult test for many, from those who experience pain to those with experience of trauma or who have gaps in understanding about what the test is for. The impact of COVID-19 on the programme, and reluctance of some to access primary care over the last year have provided further hurdles to cervical screening uptake.
So this Cervical Screening Awareness Week help us get the facts out about cervical screening, so that everyone understands what the test is for, where to access tips and support and, importantly, knows what their results mean.
Useful resources
For more information on Cervical Screening Awareness Week: jostrust.org.uk/csaw
Information for GPs and practice nurses: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/professionals/cervical-screening
Information to share with patients: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/information/cervical-screening