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Black Women in America and Cervical Cancer Prevention

NNPA NEWSWIRE — African American women are twice as likely as Caucasian women to be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer and 2-3 times more likely to die from this diagnosis. Before we examine why this health disparity exists, let’s explore the historical gains that lead to the reduction of invasive cervical cancer diagnosis and deaths.

Published

7 years ago

February 25, 2019

Oakland Post

By Dr. Anisa Shomo, Director of Family Medicine Scholars at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and Health Columnist for the NNPA.

Many people may believe that cervical cancer is a problem of the past. Prior to the 1940s, it was a major cause of death of women of childbearing age. According to the National Institute of Health, invasive cervical cancer is now considered to be the 14^th cause of cancer deaths in women in the US. That accounts for approximately 4,000 deaths of women each year.

African American women are twice as likely as Caucasian women to be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer and 2-3 times more likely to die from this diagnosis. Before we examine why this health disparity exists, let’s explore the historical gains that lead to the reduction of invasive cervical cancer diagnosis and deaths.

Before the 1940s, it was difficult to diagnose cervical cancer unless accompanied by significant symptoms such as bleeding, pain, and nausea were occurring, which caused women to present in the later stages. In 1943, Dr. George Papanicolau published a paper on his work to identify cervical changes as normal or cancerous via a microscope before invasive cancer occurred in an article titled “Diagnosis of Uterine Cancer on Vaginal Smear.”

In 1954, Dr. Papanicolau published his atlas for labs to learn how to identify cervical cancer using his method and this is now called a Papanicolau test or “Pap” smear. We now use this to screen for cervical cancer and catch it in its early stages. Cervical cancer caught in the early stages can be removed with very minor surgeries and in many cases, hysterectomy can be avoided.

In the 1970s, the HPV virus was being extensively researched as a possible link to cervical cancer. In 1984 Dr. Harald zur Hausen discovered that HPV 16 and 18 were major causes of cervical cancer. He later won a Nobel Prize in Science for this discovery. In the 1990s, Dr. Lowy and Schiller began working to create an HPV vaccine that could help prevent cervical cancer altogether. In 2006 the FDA approved the first HPV vaccines.

We now use the HPV vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer in the first place. This is especially important internationally since currently 500,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and 275,000 of them will die of their disease due to low access to screening and treatment.

Cervical cancer has had such great advancements in treatment and diagnosis in the United States that even one death from this disease could be considered a failure of the system. But an estimated 700 African American women still die of cervical cancer each year. The three main reasons are: later stage at diagnosis, less aggressive treatment, and more barriers to care once diagnosed.

One reason cited for lack of timely screening is confusion of Pap smear with a pelvic exam causing a person to think that they have already been screened, although they may have had this exam for a different reason. Many African American women do not receive treatment due to comorbid conditions, advanced cancer, or refusal to be treated. In 2016, Nardi et al detailed some of the findings of multiple studies that indicate that lack of knowledge about cervical cancer may be the largest barrier to screening and treatment of cervical cancer in African American women.

Many women do not know that a Pap smear is a cervical cancer screening and do not realize that HPV is a known risk factor. They also may believe that if they are no longer sexually active, they no longer need to be screened which may contribute to presenting with cervical cancer in the later stage. There was also discussion that women feared hysterectomy would be needed and they did not desire to have this performed so they avoided screening.

In 2012, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology drastically changed the guidelines for cervical cancer screening. As of September 2017, the guidelines are:

Screening starting at age 21 with a Pap smear
Screening is now every 3-5 years with a Pap Smear and depending on age, HPV testing
HPV testing is recommended to start at age 30 but many physicians perform it at ages 21-29 with Pap smear

These changes have caused further confusion about the importance of cervical cancer and when a person’s next pap smear is due. This change occurred due to research demonstrating that yearly Pap smears were not better at decreasing cancer rates than when performed every 3 years. There was also concern about damaging the cervix with unnecessary procedures if screening too often.

The HPV vaccine has been FDA approved since 2006. It is currently recommended for use in all genders aged 11-26 and it was most recently approved to be extended for use up to age 45. The vaccine has been shown to be effective in preventing an estimated 90% of HPV related cancers. In 2015, the CDC studied the percent of women aged 19-26 who received at least 1 dose of the vaccine and it was found that African American women were 10% less likely to have started that vaccine.

Despite the many advances in cervical cancer screening, treatment, and prevention, African Americans women are more likely to be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer and death as a result of late diagnosis. Increased knowledge about the purpose of a Pap smear and how often it is needed, the new treatments available that may prevent need for hysterectomy, and the purpose of the HPV vaccine may help reduce this health disparity in the future.

For Black American women receiving updated information about how to prevent cervical cancer is a matter of life or death. If our Black families and communities are made more aware of the advantages of early detection and diagnosis concerning cervical cancer, the current disproportionate mortality rates for Black women with this health problem in America will be dramatically reduced.

Dr. Anisa Shomo is the Director of Family Medicine Scholars at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a health columnist for the NNPA. She can be reached at drshomoknows@gmail.com

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#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: Application Window Closing Soon for Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Selected high school students receive all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort for transformative mentorship program; Applications close October 31.

Published

1 week ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

Selected high school students receive all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort for transformative mentorship program; Applications close October 31.

(LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.) Oct. 27, 2025 – High school students driven by passion and fueled by big dreams have until October 31 to apply for the 2026 Disney Dreamers Academy, a transformative mentorship experience at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The program’s application window closes at the end of the month, so students are encouraged to apply now for this magical, career-inspiring multi-day event. Applications are open to U.S. high school students, ages 13 to 19, who will receive an all-expense-paid trip along with one parent or guardian to Walt Disney World. Applications will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of leaders, and the 100 selected participants will be announced in early 2026.

Disney Dreamers Academy, now entering its 19th year, unfolds during several unforgettable days of inspiration and discovery for the program’s participants who come to Walt Disney World for hands-on learning, career exploration and leadership development that encourages them to dream bigger and achieve more. Students from culturally diverse communities nationwide explore career fields from STEM and business to entertainment and the arts, learning directly from educators, executives, celebrities and Disney cast members who share real-world insights and guidance. Along the way, Dreamers gain valuable life tools, leadership skills, effective communication techniques and networking strategies to help turn their dreams into reality.

Anyone interested can apply or nominate a student at http://www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com

Disney Dreamers Academy is one of the many examples of Walt Disney World’s commitment to supporting diverse communities by inspiring young people to dream boldly, pursue their passions and make a meaningful difference in the world.

For more information, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com, or follow on social media at Facebook.com/DisneyDreamersAcademy, X.com/DreamersAcademy and Instagram.com/disneydreamersacademy/.

About Disney Dreamers Academy:

Established at Walt Disney World in 2008, Disney Dreamers Academy’s mission is to inspire teens from culturally diverse communities nationwide to dream beyond imagination by providing access to personalized support for the Disney Dreamer, their caregivers and community through insightful content and uplifting experts, mentors and sponsors. Each year, 100 high school students are awarded a trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to experience this four-day immersive and transformational program.

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Black Americans Cannot Afford the Trump Administration’s Health Care Cost Spike

By Fred Redmond This Saturday marks one month of the federal government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers—nearly 20% of whom are Black and 30% of whom are veterans—are missing their second paycheck. Families across the country will be forced to choose between paying for groceries, rent and medical care. President Trump and […]

Published

1 week ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

By Fred Redmond

This Saturday marks one month of the federal government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers—nearly 20% of whom are Black and 30% of whom are veterans—are missing their second paycheck. Families across the country will be forced to choose between paying for groceries, rent and medical care. President Trump and his allies in Congress are inflicting this pain because they would rather shut down the government than deal with the looming health care crisis that will explode costs for more than 170 million Americans.

This is a crisis of the administration’s own making and was entirely avoidable. That’s because Trump and Congress are about to let a key funding program for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the extended tax credits, expire. Without that funding source, out-of-pocket premiums will more than double for 22 million people—and 4.2 million people will be kicked off their coverage entirely.

Everyone will pay more for health care if the ACA tax credits disappear. As millions lose their coverage, hospitals and clinics will be forced to absorb billions in unpaid care costs, driving up premiums for all of us, whether you are covered through work or the ACA.

Combined with the Medicaid cuts that Republicans passed earlier this year, 179 million people with employer-based insurance could see their health care costs rise as much as $485 a year per person—or nearly $2,000 more a year for a family of four. Parents will be forced to put off checkups for their kids and people with chronic illnesses will face impossible decisions: refill their insulin or pay rent, start chemotherapy or pay the electric bill. One unexpected accident will leave a family unable to pay the mortgage or buy groceries.

For our community, a spike in health care costs isn’t just smoke—it’s a five-alarm fire. Since the implementation of the ACA, the number of Black folks without health insurance has been cut in half. In 2023, it reached an all-time low. That’s in large part thanks to the increased funding for the ACA passed in 2021, including the tax credits we’re fighting for today. But if they aren’t extended, we could see those gains almost completely reversed. Without the tax credits, Black Americans will see the largest increases in uninsurance rates—a 30% percent jump in those without coverage. One study estimates as many as 1.1 million Black Americans will lose coverage.

Even those who are able to hang on to their insurance will be forced to pay more if the tax credits aren’t extended. That funding passed in 2021 meant millions of working- and middle-class Black families with ACA coverage saw their premiums lowered or eliminated entirely. 76% of uninsured Black Americans were able to find a plan for less than $50 a month and 66% could find one entirely for free. But without the tax credits, those premiums could more than double. And those same families could be forced to pay hundreds—if not thousands—more every month.

Black working people are already struggling to pay our bills. Wages for Black workers are falling and our budgets are being squeezed by higher prices on everything from food and housing to electricity and gas. The Trump administration is offering no relief. The last thing we need is D.C. politicians hiking our health care costs.

The labor movement’s message to the president and his allies in Congress is simple: fix the health care crisis, fund the government and put working people first.

Fred Redmond, the highest-ranking African American labor official in history, is the secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor federation, representing 63 unions and nearly 15 million workers.

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Four Minute Offense: The Jets Circle the Wagons

This is the second installment of the Four Minute Offense. It’s the moment during the fourth quarter of a game when the team possessing the ball must run the ball, call high-percentage pass plays, and the war daddies (also known as the offensive linemen), can get off the ball and turn up. Four talking points […]

Published

1 week ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

The Jets get their first win of 2025

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly criticized and mocked Justin Fields, adding to what was already a difficult week for the team. The Jets’ offense had been struggling, ranking near the bottom across nearly every major statistical category. To make matters even worse, the franchise announced the tragic passing of Nick Mangold, the legendary offensive lineman, at just 41 years old.

On Sunday, the New York Jets took on the Cincinnati Bengals in what many expected to be a lopsided matchup. Joe Flacco, coming off a phenomenal performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers just ten days earlier — with 342 passing yards and three touchdowns — looked to keep the momentum going. Meanwhile, Ja’Marr Chase continued his dominance for Cincinnati, setting a single-game franchise record with 16 receptions, 161 yards, and a touchdown.

But that’s why they play the game!

The Jets beat the Bengals 39-38. Running back Breece Hall, an object of trade rumors, threw the game-winning touchdown to rookie tight-end Mason Taylor with 2 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter. Hall was the first running back since Curtis Martin in 2000 to throw a go-ahead TD in the final two minutes of a game. Ironically, Martin’s touchdown pass was a game-winning TD.

In Sunday’s game, the Jets had 502 yards of total offense, the first time they accomplished this feat since 2001. Head Coach Aaron Glenn was hyped in the locker room:

“Our f— brand! 254 rushing yards! Man, I love this group. And man, from here on out. Grit. F–– grit. Because I told you during the offseason, man. We have to create an advantage, we f–– did. But you showed all the grit in the world to win this game,” Glenn bellowed to applause from the team. “Now, let’s have a good flight home, have a great week. I love this group, man.”

Also, Justin Fields admitted to reporters he relied on his faith to get him through a turbulent week.

“I’m going to get pretty vulnerable right here. This week I found myself in my closet crying on the ground, laying down. Not because of the hardships, not because of the troubles,” Fields admitted. “I felt like I was built to handle that. I was put in place to handle this situation. But in that moment, I was talking to my best friend. How hard it was. Not wavering faith-wise. I was praying over and over again, just one win. All that to say is, God is real. God is good. Everything that we go through in this life is for a purpose.”

Where do the Jets go from here? Nobody knows. But for one week, Gang Green can celebrate!

Tua and the Dolphins frustrate the floundering Falcons

Tua Tagovailoa helped the Miami Dolphins snap their three game losing streak, beating the listless Atlanta Falcons 34-10. Complicating matters for both teams, Tua threw for 205 yards and 4 touchdowns after waking up with a swollen left eye.

“Probably one of the worst experiences I’ve had in terms of waking up and having that on a game day,” he told reporters after the game, adding that Dolphins trainers gave him antibiotics to help with the issue and that he wore a visor on the field.

“It was different,” Tagovailoa said. “I can’t remember the last time I played with a visor outside of high school.”

Tua Tagovailoa struggled mightily last week in a shocking 31–6 defeat to the Cleveland Browns, ultimately being benched for poor performance. Despite the setback, this marks the third instance in his career where Tagovailoa has thrown at least four touchdown passes with no interceptions — a feat surpassed only by the legendary Dan Marino in franchise history.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons faced their own challenges. Star safety Jessie Bates III exited early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Bates, who leads the team with 39 tackles this season, was sorely missed as Atlanta’s offense faltered. The Falcons managed just 11 first downs, 49 rushing yards, and converted only 2 of 11 third-down attempts — a disheartening showing for the Dirty Birds.

It’s worth noting that Atlanta played without several key starters, including quarterback Michael Penix Jr., wide receiver Drake London, and defenders Divine Deablo, Jalon Walker, Zach Harrison, and Billy Bowman Jr. Even so, their upcoming matchups against the resurgent New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts will be critical — not only for their playoff hopes but also for determining the future of head coach Raheem Morris.

“It all started right from the beginning, with not being able to run the football and control the game,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said after the game. “That’s our lifeline, and when that’s not working, it’s gonna look bad on us, whether it be defense, offense, or special teams. That’s our lifeline, being able to run the football offense.”

Jalen Hurts continues to shine

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw four touchdown passes as he led his team past the New York Giants 38-20 at Lincoln Financial Stadium. He finished the day 15-of-20 for 179 yards. Hurts is just the third Eagles QB ever to have back-to-back games with a passer rating of 140+, joining Nick Foles and Randall Cunningham.

Hurts – who has 15 touchdown passes, five rushing touchdowns and one interception this season – is the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 15 touchdown passes, five rushing touchdowns and one-or-fewer interceptions in his team’s first eight games of a season.

Also, in the last two games, Hurts has nine incompletions and seven touchdowns. The narrative is shifting in Philadelphia. As the offensive coordinators change, Hurts must continue to prepare and play at a high level, consistently.

“I look at how we are helping him,” Hurts said. “Are we playing penalty free? Are we mastering, mastering the things that take no talent? Are we getting in and out of the huddle? You know, the little things that can help all of us and help the play call to find the rhythm and what he does. And so we’re very critical of that. I’m very critical of that. That’s always something that I’m talking about, but we just want to continue to build.”

Saquon Barkley ran for 150 yards and scored one touchdown on a 65-yard house call.

Cam Ward shows progress, despite loss at Colts

Despite the Tennessee Titans’ 38-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Cam Ward demonstrated noticeable progress in his development. Ward completed 22 of 38 passes for 259 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception. The interception came on a fourth-and-goal attempt late in the game when the outcome was already sealed. Throughout the game, Ward showcased solid accuracy, absorbed multiple hits, and effectively extended plays by moving within the pocket.

“We just got to finish drives with points,” Ward said postgame. “Yeah, we had some positive moments, but it wasn’t enough to win a game. I had to do more. I had to be more accurate with the football. We had to consistently, consistently move the ball up and down the field and end with points. I think the last couple weeks, we’ve been better just moving the ball, but we have to end it with points. If we don’t score points, if we don’t score points, we’re not going to be in a lot of games.”

The Titans will be back home at Nissan Stadium to face the 5-3 Chargers.