Ocala, Fla. — January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and as with all cancers, regular screenings help aid prevention and treatment, if necessary.

Accordingly, the Florida Department of Health in Marion County (DOH-Marion) encourages women in our community to get tested if you have not done so recently.

This is vital since cervical cancer may not cause symptoms early on, and because Marion County’s rate of cervical cancer diagnosis and related deaths exceed the state as a whole.

According to the most recent Florida Department of Health data, women in Marion County were diagnosed with cervical cancer at a rate 17% above the statewide total, based on diagnosis rates per 100,000 women.

The cervical cancer-related death rate in Marion County almost doubled that of the rest of Florida in both 2020 and 2021.

Marion County records better news when it comes to testing.

A Pap test is the primary means of screening for cervical cancer.

As of 2016, the most recent year for which state data is available, 47.1% of adult women in Marion County had received a Pap test within the past year. That compared to 48.4% for the rest of the state.

Marion County in 2016 was also closely aligned with the state as whole when looking at women 21 to 65 who had a Pap test within the past three years, 76.9% locally relative to 78.8% for the state.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women between 21 and 65 get tested every three years, if their baseline test is normal.

The CDC notes that women over 65 may no longer need a Pap test if their past screenings have been normal for several years, if they have not had a cervical precancer in the past, or if they had their cervix removed in having a total hysterectomy for non-cancerous conditions.

For women who are uninsured, DOH-Marion participates in the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which reduces barriers to obtaining a cervical cancer screening. The screenings may be available for free or at a reduced cost for those who qualify.

To be eligible, women must be between 50 and 64, live in Marion County, report a household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, not have insurance, and agree to complete all recommended tests required for a cancer diagnosis within 60 days of an abnormal test result.

To learn more about cervical cancer screenings, women should contact their primary health care provider or visit marion.floridahealth.gov.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.