South Carolina United Teal & White coalition raises cervical cancer awareness

More than 100 members of the South Carolina United Teal & White initiative demonstrated their support for cervical cancer awareness and prevention January 18th at the South Carolina State House in Columbia. Various events were held throughout the day, culminating with the General Assembly proclaiming January 18, 2017 “SC United in Teal & White Day” in South Carolina.

This first-year effort was developed to forge a statewide coalition of Medicaid managed care organizations, commercial insurers, citizens, governmental, medical and advocacy organizations to engage in a collaborative effort to educate South Carolina citizens about the importance of cervical cancer screening and the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing cervical cancer. Coalition members include Absolute Total Care, BlueChoice HealthPlan Medicaid, First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina, Molina Health Care of South Carolina, WellCare Health Plans, American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Cervical Cancer Free South Carolina, South Carolina Cervical Cancer Awareness Initiative, City of Columbia, South Carolina Cancer Alliance and National Cervical Cancer South Carolina Collaborative and the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is observed annually each January. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 12,820 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States in 2017. While regular participation in cervical cancer screenings has drastically reduced the rate of new cervical cancer cases and deaths, these rates remain significantly higher in African American and Hispanic women.

Quick Facts about cervical cancer in South Carolina:

• Screening is extremely important for early detection and treatment.
• 15th in nation for cervical cancer incidence (new cases) and 12th for cervical cancer mortality (deaths).
• White women are less likely to develop cervical cancer than black women.
• White women with cervical cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with early stage disease than black women (45 percent and 34 percent, respectively).
• Cervical cancer mortality rates in black women are nearly two times higher than those for white women (4.1; 2.2 per 100,000 women, respectively)
• Black women have a higher cervical cancer incidence rate than white women (9.1 vs. 7.9 new cases per 100,000 women, respectively).
• Black women are nearly twice as likely to die from cervical cancer as white women.
• Centers for Disease Control recommends that 11- to 12-year-old  girls and boys  receive three doses of HPV vaccine at least six months apart to prevent cancer.

More information about cervical cancer is available at www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer.html.