As Cervical Health Awareness Month ends, health experts are urging people to take cervical cancer prevention seriously—especially as national rates are rising for the first time since 1984.
A 2023 study from the Canadian Cancer Society revealed the national average of cervical cancer rates increased by 3.7% from 2015 to 2019, marking the first major increase since 1984.
There are multiple factors behind this increase, says Danika Kelly, Vice-Chair of Canada West of the Women's Health Coalition. One is that many people don’t consider cervical health a routine part of their overall healthcare, partly due to cultural factors and lack of policy-making from different levels of government.
"Since the 1970s it's been an incredible intervention to stop the progression of cervical cancer within our population," Kelly said. However, in the 2010s, skepticism toward medical procedures grew, she adds. “People started resisting being told what to do with their health and their bodies—especially women.”
This lack of awareness, she explains, may be contributing to the rising rates.
While cervical cancer rates have increased nationally, Dr. Patrick Galange, Associate Medical Officer of Health at Halton Public Health, says Ontario’s rates have remained consistent. In fact, Halton Region’s rates are slightly lower than the provincial average, he says.
Between 2016 and 2020, 7.5 people per 100,000 people were diagnosed with cervical cancer in the Halton Region, in comparison to 8.2 people per 100,000 people, which were similar to the rates from 2011 to 2015, Galange says.
However, Dr. Galange notes that cervical cancer screenings dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic but are expected to rise again now that restrictions have eased.
While regular screenings remain vital, Kelly highlights an emerging option in British Columbia— at-home HPV tests —which could improve accessibility for individuals who may not live near a walk-in clinic or family doctor. These tests allow people to test privately and on their own schedule, while still being able to detect common strains of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer.
Although this service is currently available only in British Columbia, Kelly believes it could be a valuable tool for people across all areas of Canada, helping to increase screening participation and early detection.
Along with the rollout of at-home tests in British Columbia, Ontario is also shifting towards HPV testing as the main method for cervical cancer screening. This change allows for more accurate early detection and longer intervals between screenings for those with negative results, making it easier for people to access timely screenings.
Meanwhile, despite stable cervical cancer rates in Halton, healthcare practitioners are urging residents to remain proactive about regular screenings and adopt healthy habits to help reduce their risk.
Some of these habits include the following:
1. Get the HPV vaccine. "Ensure you're fully vaccinated, ideally before you're sexually active and this will protect you against the virus that causes almost 99 per cent of cervical cancers," Galange says. "To frame it, if everybody got their HPV vaccine, we would basically get rid of cervical cancer."
2. Get regular pap tests. These tests can detect early signs of cervical cancer. They can be done with a family doctor, walk-in clinics or through Halton's sexual health clinics for those between the ages of 25 and 29.
3. Practice safe sex. "HPV is spread through direct skin to skin contact, oftentimes on genitals through sexual contracts," Galange says. "Use barrier methods like condoms to limit the numbers." Galange also says to limit the number of sexual partners and to avoid risky sexual situations such as unprotected sex under the influence or being with partners who have current symptoms or a history of sexually transmitted infections.
4. Quit smoking. This can reduce your chance of getting cervical cancer as well as other forms of cancers, Galange says.
5. See a healthcare provider if experiencing concerning symptoms. These symptoms include vaginal bleeding (particularly spotting post menopause, between menstruation cycles, post intercourse), pelvic or vaginal pain, and vaginal discharge.
"What's so good about these awareness months is that it's an opportunity to remind people about the importance of it and what we can do to empower ourselves to protect ourselves against whatever kind of disease is being talked about," Galange says.