Health workers warn that many women are putting themselves at greater risk of developing cervical cancer, with new figures revealing that Melton has one of the lowest cancer screening rates in the western suburbs.
Latest figures from the Cancer Council show that only 51.7 per cent of women in Melton had pap tests in 2011-12, well below the state average of 60 per cent.
In Melbourne’s west, only Wyndham (49.6 per cent) had a lower screening rate.
This is despite the north-west having the state’s highest number of nurses (101) equipped to conduct pap tests. National guidelines recommend that all women aged 18 to 70 who have ever been sexually active have a pap test every two years.
PapScreen Victoria manager Hiranthi Perera said the best thing women could do was speak to a health care provider.
“It is very worrying to learn that so many women from the north-western metropolitan Department of Health region are not undergoing regular pap tests,” Ms Perera said.
“The reasons are hard to pinpoint, but some women put it on the backburner. It can be due to the nature of the test, it can be awkward and embarrassing. But it only takes a few minutes, once every two years, and it’s potentially life-saving.”
In Moorabool, 58.1 per cent of women were screened for the cancer, an increase of 3.2 per cent from the previous year.
Western suburbs GP Jo-Ann Silva said screening was vital in preventing and making an early diagnosis.
Dr Silva said screening was available through GPs, women’s health nurses and community health centres.
