Many Women Skip Getting Pap Smears

Nine out of 10 women know they should get an annual Pap smear, the test for cervical and uterine cancer. But 37% haven’t had one in the last year, reported the Gallup Organization.

In a poll commissioned by the College of American Pathologists, Gallup found that older, lower-income and less-educated women are less likely to have an annual Pap smear. Only 51% of women 50 and older had an exam last year, even though nearly 60% of all cervical cancer is found in women older than 55. Four out of five women who die of cervical cancer have not had a Pap smear in five or more years. The college of pathologists also suggests women research the laboratory that processes their tests. To check on a lab, call (800) LAB-5678.