This edition of the Women In Government (WIG) state report on cervical cancer prevention marks the sixth and final edition of a groundbreaking effort to document state-level cervical cancer prevention efforts. A Roadmap for Success: The State of Cervical Cancer Prevention in America 2010 illustrates the tremendous strides that have been made in the battle to eliminate cervical cancer. Since WIG launched the Challenge to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Campaign six years ago, all 50 states have introduced and enacted legislation designed to combat cervical cancer. The incidence rate of this disease has declined steadily, as well as mortality. A test to detect high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) has become available, as has a vaccine to prevent the strains of HPV that are commonly linked to cervical cancer.

The roadmap for success is clear. States have worked to improve access to cervical cancer screening and to provide treatment for low-income women who could otherwise not afford it. Education initiatives have been launched to make women aware of the link between HPV and cervical cancer and to educate women, girls, and parents about the availability of the HPV vaccine. State-level task forces have been developed to bring together key stakeholders and to design strategies to further the reduction of cervical cancer incidence and mortality.

We continue to look forward to the day when the elimination of cervical cancer is a reality. Continued efforts are needed to ensure that all women have access to the most appropriate cervical cancer prevention technologies, including the HPV test and the HPV vaccine. And renewed efforts are needed to ensure that socioeconomic status, particularly the lack of health insurance, is not a barrier to care for low-income and minority women, who continue to suffer disproportionately from cervical cancer.

Thank you for your support of this important project and your efforts to make a difference in the fight against cervical cancer. WIG will continue to equip women state legislators with the expert information, educational resources, and leadership opportunities to enable them to address complex policy issues. 
 

(click on each state to view individual state profiles)

To submit corrections for the 2010 edition, please contact the HPV & Cervical Cancer Policy Resource Center at 1-888-333-0164 or via email at resourcecenter@womeningovernment.org.