# Young Women Putting Off Smear Tests Due to Embarrassment, Study Finds Young, S. (2019) _Women reveal the reasons they don’t go for smear tests_, _The Independent_. Available at: [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/smear-test-cervical-screening-attend-reason-embarrassment-jos-cervical-cancer-trust-a8738416.html](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/smear-test-cervical-screening-attend-reason-embarrassment-jos-cervical-cancer-trust-a8738416.html) ## Notes - cervical cancer statistics - 71% of young women who delayed their smear tests said they felt scared - 75% of young women who delayed their smear tests said they felt vulnerable - a study found that 45% of young women put off having a smear test - 81% of young women feel embarrassed about smear tests - 37% of young women did not know what to expect during their smear test - 58% of young women were scared that a smear test would hurt - 68% of young women said they would not tell their nurse about their worries during a smear test - almost half of young women admit that they regularly delay or do not go for smear tests - breaking the taboo ![[Women reveal the reasons they don’t go for smear tests.excalidraw.svg]] %% ## Highlights ### [[cervical cancer statistics]] > Around 220,000 British women are diagnosed with cervical abnormalities every year and there were 854 deaths from [cervical cancer](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-cancer/) in England in 2016. ^fcnxk [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4tw68b25fwg9n02n64mrra) ### [[Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust]] > Concerned about the issues which are contributing to the decline, [Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust](https://www.jostrust.org.uk) surveyed more than 2,000 women aged 25 to 35 about their experiences. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4tszzn3gdawepvd122r232) ### [[a study found that 45% of young women put off having a smear test]] ### [[71% of young women who delayed their smear tests said they felt scared]] ### [[75% of young women who delayed their smear tests said they felt vulnerable]] > It found that of 915 women who delayed a test or had never gone for screening, 71 per cent felt scared while 75 per cent felt vulnerable. ^ujs9y [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4tt1r68x80zgytkq9j993c) ### [[81% of young women feel embarrassed about smear tests]] > Eight out of 10 (81 per cent) also admitted to feeling embarrassed, while 67 per cent said they would not feel in control. ^-zpc5 [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4tt3t6et7bv2k3s9q95pr2) ### id459593010 > When asked what had caused them to delay or miss a test, 72 per cent said embarrassment, while 69 per cent said they felt uncomfortable with a stranger examining the genital area. [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4tt72b77wd6xaz6jqxn7ac) ### [[58% of young women were scared that a smear test would hurt]] ### [[37% of young women did not know what to expect during their smear test]] > Almost six in 10 (58 per cent) were scared it would hurt, while 37 per cent did not know what would happen during the test. ^yhof4 [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4ttcr2gt2w37byzjnqm68d) ### [[68% of young women said they would not tell their nurse about their worries during a smear test]] ### [[almost half of young women admit that they regularly delay or do not go for smear tests]] > Of all women surveyed, 68 per cent said they would not tell their nurse about their worries, with almost half saying they regularly delayed or did not go for tests. ^mw-pd [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4tthyxz68ygzyn8a5qy1kp) ### id459593016 > Other concerns among all women were a fear of being judged (18 per cent) or thinking their concerns were too silly or small (16 per cent). [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gq4ttpc3mcbpn7jkbxhathnx)