Dear HIFA colleagues,
On Question 2:
Diya Banerjee (India) has noted the following questions from women:
Will it disrupt sex life?"
Does HPV positive mean cancer?'
Will I get totally cancer-free?
Anu Mary Momen (India) noted that some women are concerned that cervical screening would be painful, having heard this from others.
Amal Abdikarim Yusuf (Somalia) noted that “Women should understand that screening is preventable health measure and that early detection can improve treatment outcomes”. This is especially interesting as it suggests that some of the most basic concepts that we may take for granted (that screening is a preventive measure, and that early disease is more treatable than advanced disease) are not understood by many women.
It might be difficult to recall specific questions that people have asked (as Diya has done). Perhaps it is more useful to ask this question in a different way:
Do people understand that cervical cancer screening can detect changes early, when treatment is more effective and lives can be saved?
What do people in your country generally know (or believe) about cervical cancer screening and treatment?
What do women in your community understand about cervical cancer screening? What might they find confusing or difficult to understand?
Please share your experience and expertise by email to: hifa@hifaforums.org
With thanks and 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