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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
More young women are skipping cervical cancer screenings, and the consequences are becoming visible. A new JAMA Network Open study found that the share of women aged 21–29 who have never been screened jumped from 12.5% in 2005 to nearly 32% in 2023. Worryingly, regional- and distant-stage cervical cancer rates among women aged 30–64 have been climbing since 2017.
Cervical cancer screening is slipping through the cracks for a growing number of U.S. women — and the data suggest real consequences are already unfolding. A new cross-sectional study published in JAMA Network Open analyzed nearly two decades of National Health Interview Survey data and found that the proportion of women aged 21–29 who have never been screened for cervical cancer more than doubled, rising from 12.5% in 2005 to 31.9% in 2023. Among women aged 30–65, the never-screened rate nearly tripled, from 5.3% to 14.8%.
The trend isn't uniform — disparities are stark. Asian women aged 21–29 had the highest never-screening rate at 44.3%, compared to 28.8% among non-Hispanic White women. Women with lower educational attainment were also significantly less likely to have been screened.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Cervical cancer is largely preventable, yet screening gaps are widening just as late-stage diagnoses are climbing. Researchers are calling for targeted strategies to dismantle structural barriers and boost screening uptake before these trends worsen.
