Cervical Cancer Community Education


Cervical cancer is a highly preventable cancer among women who receive regular Pap screenings; a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer is also available for girls and young women ages 9 - 26 years.  Moreover, early detection leads to higher survival; the five-year relative survival rate for early detected localized cervical cancers is 91%.  While the overall burden of disease is low among APIAs, several ethnic subgroups have the highest rates of cervical cancer compared to other U.S. racial/ethnic groups. Moreover, APIA women exhibit the lowest rates of breast and cervical cancer screening among any other racial and ethnic group in the U.S.

The Cervical Cancer Community Education program targets these highly vulnerable Chinese, Cambodians, and Vietnamese immigrant women in the greater Ravenswood community. This program aims to raise their awareness in a culturally competent fashion about cervical cancer risks and prevention as well as guiding them through the convoluted health care system to seek the proper care.

The vision of the Cervical Cancer Community Education program aims to reduce health disparities among APIA women in Chicago through:

  • Enhancing community awareness and knowledge about cervical cancer risks and prevention strategies
  • Increasing the cervical cancer screening rates among Chicago API women; and
  • Building the capacity of community health advocates to provide culturally and linguistically tailored support and referral for their community members.

The Cervical Cancer Community Education program is funded by the Ravenswood Health Care Foundation.

For more information regarding this project, please email the Program Manager


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Now available for download, cervical cancer toolkit and quick facts flyer in English.  For more information on additional languages, please contact the program manager.