North East Women Not Getting Smear Tests

20 January 2014, 06:24 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

New research shows 6 in 10 women in their mid 20s in the North East aren't going for smear tests.

The figures from Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust (JCCT) also show almost a third of women in the UK don't know the cause of cervical cancer.

Around 3 women die of cervical cancer each day in the UK.

Screening saves 5,000 lives a year, yet one in five women who are eligible for screening do not take up their invitation.

The research from JCCT of 2,021 women across the UK from the first (25-29 years) and last (60-64 years) age groups eligible for screening found over half (55%) did not know the sexually transmitted Human Papillomavirus (HPV), caused the disease.

It is estimated that early detection and treatment through screening can prevent up to 75% of cervical cancers but, on average, 25-29 year olds delay testing for 15 months.

North East Percentage of 25-29 year olds
Kept putting off their test 60% (Highest in the UK)
Worried it could be painful 45% (Highest in the UK)
Worried it would be embarrassing  45% (Second highest in the UK)
A friend reassuring them would
encourage them to go
35%
Forgot all about it 15%
Number of people who delayed
going for the test
50%
Average time of delay
(in months)
11
Didn't know the HPV virus caused
cervical cancer 
42%
Didn't know the cause of cervical
cancer 
45% (Highest in the UK)
Worried about what the results
would say 
5% (Lowest in the UK)
Had a bad experience 10% (Highest in the UK)
Thought cervical cancer was
hereditary 
25%