Last Updated: January 27, 2025
RICHMOND, Va. – In honor of Cervical Health Awareness Month, Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) encourage community members to take action against cervical cancer:
- Women ages 21 and older should talk to their doctor about cervical cancer screening.
- Parents and guardians should make sure their children have their school-required human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination prior to starting 7th grade.
- Parents and guardians can make appointments for school-required immunizations with their primary care provider, a local pharmacy, or at an in-school clinic.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV causes six different kinds of cancer, including almost all (91%) of cervical cancers. HPV also causes 70% of head and neck (oropharyngeal) cancers.
“I encourage women to protect themselves and I’m also going to make sure my sons get vaccinated against HPV,” said RHHD Nurse Practitioner Christy Smith. “Even with the HPV vaccine, people still need to follow testing guidelines based their age and pap history. Together, the HPV vaccine and regular screening are powerful tools that protect against cervical and other cancers.”
According to the National Cancer Institute’s State Cancer Profile, the rate of new cases of cervical cancer in Virginia has been decreasing steadily from 2017 to 2021. The rates of new cases in Richmond and Henrico were somewhat lower than the rate in Virginia during the same time period.
In November 2024, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a research letter stating that studies from 2022 and 2023 indicated a 12% per year decline (overall, 65% reduction) in cervical cancer incidence from 2012 to 2019 among US women younger than 25 years who likely benefited from HPV vaccination.
HPV vaccination has been recommended for routine use in U.S. women since June 2006.
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- In Virginia, the HPV vaccine is required for all students, regardless of sex, prior to entry into 7th grade.
- Children who receive both doses of the vaccine before age 13 will receive the most protection.
- Children who receive their first dose at the age of 15 or older will require three total doses for full protection.
- The HPV vaccine is also recommended for people 26 years of age who did not start or complete the vaccination at an earlier age.>
HPV vaccine recommendation for persons 27-45 years of age is based on shared clinical decision making.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) offers Every Woman’s Life (EWL), a public health program that helps uninsured, income-eligible women gain access to free breast and cervical cancer screening services. Screening and early detection reduce death rates, improve treatment options, and greatly increase rates of survival. If a woman enrolled in EWL is diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer she may be eligible for Medicaid to pay for treatment. Community members can use this link to find a EWL provider near them.
To be eligible for EWL, a woman must be a Virginia resident between the ages of 18-64, meet federal income guidelines and be uninsured. Women 18-39 must be symptomatic or be determined to be high risk for breast and/or cervical cancer to be eligible.
Community members can visit rhhd.gov/connect-pc to locate primary care providers in the Richmond and Henrico area. Community members can visit rhhd.gov/childhoodvax for more information on school-required immunizations. For information about RHHD’s clinical health resources and HPV vaccination schedule, call 804-205-3501 or visit rhhd.gov.
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Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) are sister public health agencies serving our connected communities. Our mission is to protect health, champion equity, and partner to address local needs.
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