{"id":31257,"date":"2024-01-22T07:00:25","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T07:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=31257"},"modified":"2025-11-18T18:59:47","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T18:59:47","slug":"queer-women-deserve-safe-affirming-cervical-cancer-screenings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/queer-women-deserve-safe-affirming-cervical-cancer-screenings\/","title":{"rendered":"Queer women deserve safe, affirming cervical cancer screenings","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

The MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation closed in November 2025. However, MultiCare continues to conduct research at\u00a0<\/em>Pulse Heart Institute<\/a><\/em>, <\/em>MultiCare Cancer Institute<\/a><\/em> and <\/em>MultiCare Mary Bridge Children\u2019s<\/a><\/em>, among other areas within our organization. To learn more about clinical trial opportunities, talk to your provider or visit <\/em>ClinicalTrials.gov<\/a><\/em>. This study is no longer active.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Screening has led to strides in the prevention of cervical cancer<\/a>, a disease that was once a leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States \u2014 yet there are disparities among who is receiving these lifesaving screenings.<\/p>\n

A growing body of evidence indicates that queer* women are significantly less likely than heterosexual women to be screened for cervical cancer. One study found that sexual minority women were nearly 50 percent less likely than those who are heterosexual to have received a Pap test<\/a> \u2014 a routine screening procedure that detects precancerous cells in the cervix.<\/p>\n

“Queer women” and “sexual minority women” refer to women who are bisexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, queer or who otherwise don’t identify as heterosexual.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Deana Williams, PhD, MPH, a research investigator at the MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation, is leading a study that aims to improve the rate of cervical cancer screening among queer women.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than 90 percent of cervical cancers are preventable, but cervical cancer is still a major public health issue in the U.S.,\u201d Williams says. \u201cCurrent cervical cancer screening initiatives are not meeting the needs of queer women, and we need to change that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inequities have many causes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) \u2014 so common that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a> reports that almost all sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives if they aren\u2019t vaccinated. (HPV can also spread through skin-to-skin contact during a sexual encounter.)<\/p>\n

HPV often resolves on its own, but sometimes it can cause genital warts or cancers, including cervical cancer. Routine screenings \u2014 such as Pap tests and HPV tests<\/a> \u2014 can increase the chances of catching cervical cancer early, when it can be easily treated or cured.<\/p>\n

Why are queer women less likely than heterosexual women to be up to date on these routine screenings?<\/p>\n

\u201cQueer women are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured, which makes routine care less accessible,\u201d Williams says. \u201cMany queer women also delay or avoid reproductive health care due to previous experiences of discrimination in clinical settings.\u201d<\/p>\n

An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association<\/a> cites another reason \u2014 many sexual minority women (along with other specific groups) did not receive screening because they didn\u2019t know they needed it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot all reproductive health care providers are culturally competent in LGBTQ+ health,\u201d Williams says. \u201cWe know from the literature that in some cases queer women have been told that they aren\u2019t at risk for cervical cancer, so sometimes there is a knowledge gap when it comes to providing care for this population.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of the reason, not keeping up with regular screenings can have serious consequences. When cervical cancer is diagnosed at more advanced stages, it may have spread to other parts of the body and can be fatal. In 2023, over 4,000 U.S. women died from cervical cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Disparities in cervical cancer screenings can have other consequences as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen queer women are not accessing screenings, they\u2019re also missing out on advancements in cancer care and treatment, including clinical trials,\u201d Williams says. \u201cLGBTQ+ individuals as a population continue to be vastly underrepresented in cancer research.\u201d<\/p>\n

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What to know about cervical cancer screening and vaccination<\/h3>\n