1 in 3 Young American Women Have Never Had a Life-Saving Cancer Screening
Summary
A new study shows nearly one in three young American women aged 21 to 29 has never had a cervical cancer screening, more than doubling since 2005. The number of women not screened is rising in all age groups, increasing the risk of late-stage cancer diagnosis, especially among uninsured women, racial minorities, and those living in the South.Key Facts
- In 2023, 31.9% of women aged 21-29 reported never having a cervical cancer screening, up from 12.5% in 2005.
- The number of unscreened women aged 21-29 grew from about 3.5 million to 6.2 million over the study period.
- Among women aged 30-65, those never screened increased from 5.3% in 2005 to 14.8% in 2023, roughly 4.3 million to 9.2 million women.
- Cervical cancer screening guidelines recommend Pap tests or HPV tests starting between ages 21-25 and continuing through age 65.
- HPV vaccination rates among women aged 21-29 rose from 5.7% in 2008 to 54% in 2019, leaving 45.5% unvaccinated.
- Nearly one-third of unvaccinated women have never been screened, missing two key protections against cervical cancer.
- Cases of cervical cancer spreading at diagnosis increased by over 2% per year after 2017 among women aged 30-65.
- Women without health insurance, from racial minority groups, and living in Southern U.S. states are less likely to have ever been screened.
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