Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Cervical cancer (CC) is a preventable and significant global health concern. With an estimated 530,000 new cases of CC in 2012, it is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among women internationally. The introduction of the Pap test or cervical screening and population-based screening programs have drastically reduced the incidence and mortality of CC in higher developed regions around the world. However, and as demonstrated in the health literature, the introduction of this test has not benefited all women equally in higher developed regions, specifically Indigenous women and/or those living in multiply marginalized situations .The purpose of this presentation is to visually highlight the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer (CC) for women internationally and discuss low-cost solutions such as self-collected HPV testing as a means to improve participation in screening for hard-to-reach women. A focus will be placed on CC screening participation and retention in Canada and New Zealand - two areas with comparable Human Development Index (HDI) values and well-established organized CC screening programs.