The internet and social media have democratised the information environment: everyone can – theoretically – access the information that they want, ask questions, voice opinions, challenge decisions. Anyone can get their message out and attempt to find an audience to share their very valid concerns.
Social media can give us agency, which in gynaecological health is so vital. Goodness knows there are so many groups who don’t have enough agency around their health and their bodies. With health information, and particularly around complex issues like HPV and cervical screening, social media can be a tricky place to navigate. We need to be clear that information is coming from expert and trusted sources.
The recent announcement on the screening interval change really exposes the importance of trust. The NHS is the most ‘trusted’ brand in the UK. Charities like Eve are trusted voices. We stand up for gynae health and want everyone to get the information and support that they need.
Our new survey (YouGov) for Cervical Screening Awareness Week (16-22 June), has revealed the extent of the worry and anxiety around recent changes to the cervical screening programme. There is a notable lack of trust in the level of protection that the new screening intervals will provide, and reassurance, evidence and expert information is required to support this change.
The statistics are stark: over 40% of women in England are worried that being screened less often isn’t safe and round a third would be worried about getting cervical cancer if they were screened less often. Only around one in five (22%) trust that any decision to change screening intervals would be based on evidence.
The screening announcement makes clear just how important that trust is. When people don’t have the information they need, in a timely way and in a format that makes sense to them, they don’t trust decisions which are grounded in evidence.
We should have confidence in this extension of the interval between screenings. It means those who need it will be screened more and those who don’t will be screened less. Population-based screening takes into account the health needs and benefits of the many.
There are some – many with personal experience of HPV and pre cancerous cell changes – who care deeply about cervical screening, cancer prevention and looking after their health, who have taken to social media to express their concerns about the interval extension.
At Eve, we want to reassure everyone that they can get the expert information and support that they need to enable them to access cervical screening and HPV vaccination. Together, these measures have the power to make cervical cancer a disease of the past.
We can’t reassure everyone with blank statements like ‘trust us, we know best’. Indeed, we know that the paternalist adage – ‘trust me, I’m a doctor’ – no longer holds water. And nor should it.
We want people to access the information, ask the questions and trust that the National Screening Committee has made a recommendation on interval changes which is based on large-scale research, clear data on disease and sound evidence.
The sidelining of women’s health and the lack of focus and investment in gynaecological cancers have taken their toll on trust. But, this decision is not based on cost savings and doesn’t demonstrate a further erosion of investment in cervical cancer prevention – in fact quite the opposite. It signifies progress and a better, more sensitive, more personalised screening protocol.
At Eve we’ll be working hard to reassure each and every one of you. Expert as we are, we are not fully in control: algorithms, the media, influencers and other voices determine the information that is thrown at you on health issues.
The World Health Organisation warned us all that, alongside the outbreak of COVID-19, the world faced an ‘infodemic’, an unprecedented overabundance of health information—both accurate and false—that often prevents people from accessing authoritative, reliable guidance.
Let’s share the evidence about the cervical screening interval change. Let’s go to trusted, expert sources of information, be that the NHS, Cancer Research UK or The Eve Appeal.
This is a cancer we have the opportunity to eliminate for the next generation. That’s too good an opportunity and ambition to let pass.
Jo Waller
Professor of Cancer Behavioural Science
We know from our research that the idea of cervical screening intervals getting longer can be very worrying for some people, especially those with experience of abnormal screening results in the past. But we’ve found that people are generally reassured when they understand more about the changes that have been happening in the screening programme.
HPV testing, which we’ve been doing in England since 2019, is much better than the screening we used to do, which checked for cell changes. A study of over 4 million women in England concluded that a 5-year interval is safe for women age 25-49 years. It reduces the risk of serious disease by 74% compared with the 3-yearly screening we did before 2019.
Having worked in cervical screening research for 25 years, I’m excited to see this latest improvement to the programme. It helps avoid giving unnecessary screening tests to those at low risk. But it also carefully monitors people with HPV so any cell changes can be picked up and treated quickly to prevent cancer.
It’s important to remember that no screening is perfect, and if people have any symptoms that are unusual for them, they should always get them checked out, even if they’ve had a normal screening result recently.
More information
We have lots more information and tips on cervical screening, HPV, and cervical cancer. You can also speak to our Ask Eve nurses for free to chat about any worries or questions.
