|
The Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) and the Academy
for Educational Development (AED) will partner to coordinate
Working Women Reaching Out against Cervical Cancer (Working
Women ROCC!), a project aimed at reducing cervical cancer
rates and disparities among working women by promoting increased
screening and annual follow up for union women and their families.
The five-year project, funded by a grant from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center
for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion will educate
union members on the risk factors for cervical cancer and
the critical need for regular screening to ensure early diagnosis
and treatment.
Evidence suggests that annual screenings for cervical cancer
saves lives, and knowledge of the risk factors can help women
take action to drastically reduce their chance of getting
this cancer. A majority of women are hearing the message and
being screened, but a significant minority are not. Labor
can help to change that.
CLUW President Gloria Johnson, announced award of the grant
and establishment of the project, saying, "I am especially
delighted that CLUW and AED received this grant, as it expands
CLUW's long-time commitment to promoting women's health. Specifically,
it allows CLUW to establish its third initiative in recent
years to address critical issues in women's health. We are
particularly excited to be working in partnership with AED,
a highly respected organization, with extensive experience
working in health education."
She explained, "In 2001 the CLUW Center for Education
and Research received a grant from the CDC to foster a cooperative
labor effort to place HIV/AIDS issues before the labor community.
"That same year, the Center received grants from various
foundations to establish the Contraceptive Equity Project
to inform union members and all working women about legal,
medical, political and collective bargaining issues related
to gaining contraceptive coverage in all health insurance
plans."
"Working Women ROCC! allows CLUW to address one more
important health issue of particular concern to our members
and all women," she said.
Among the women who will be diagnosed with or die of cervical
cancer this year, a disproportionate number are women of color.
Research reveals that ethnic patterns of this disease are
quite different from those of any other reproductive system
cancers. African American women have the highest age-adjusted
mortality rate from cervical cancer, followed by Hispanic
women.
"This project will focus on union women and the wives
and daughters of male union members, with special attention
to the groups that have the most to gain," Mrs. Johnson
said. "Thanks to unions, most members and their families
have health coverage. For many, their plans provide annual
gynecological exams, including annual cervical cancer screening.
However, we know there are union members and their families
who are not using this benefit. This project is aimed at reaching
them.
"In some cases, the union health plan may not yet cover
annual screenings. This project also is aimed at providing
information to secure this benefit."
Carolyn J. Jacobson, who has served as the director of the
CLUW Contraceptive Equity Project since the spring of 2001,
will be the outreach director for Working Women ROCC! Sue
Stine, a program officer at AED, will serve as project director.
Learn more about CLUW at www.cluw.org
and about AED at www.aed.org.
|
|
The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2003 approved a new screening
test to help determine which women over age 30 are at a higher
risk of developing cervical cancer. This new screening method
uses a DNA test to detect human papillomavirus (HPV), one
of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, in combination
with a Pap test. The DNA test identifies the 13 types of HPV
most commonly associated with cervical cancer.
The Coalition of Labor Union Women, at
its March Board meeting, adopted a resolution of support of
FDA approval of annual HPV screening for all women over 30.
CLUW National President Gloria Johnson applauded the FDA for
its approval of the test for this population.
Most cases of HPV will not progress to
cervical cancer, however, HPV is a very common virus that
at least 50-75% of sexually active individuals will be exposed
to at some point, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. Most individuals who have the virus
will not experience any noticeable symptoms due to their immune
system clearing the virus.
For some, the virus may linger and cause
abnormal cell changes on the cervix. If left unchecked, these
cell changes may eventually progress to cervical cancer, a
condition that affects 12,200 women per year. The new screening
test will be extremely useful in identifying which women over
age 30 have a persistent infection and could be at greater
risk of developing cervical cancer.
Johnson said, “Now that the FDA
has approved annual testing of over-30 women for HPV, CLUW
urges all unions to:
- Cover all FDA-approved
HPV DNA testing, as recommended by the American Cancer Society;
- Cover annual
office visits with obstetrician or gynecologist for counseling
on contraception, sexually transmitted infections, breast
and other cancer screening, and, as deemed appropriate by
the clinician, cervical cancer screening;
- Protect patient
confidentiality.”
The CLUW resolution, Johnson added, “also
directed the CLUW national office to forward its resolution
to the AFL-CIO and urge the federation to endorse HPV DNA
testing coverage in union-negotiated health plans.” Johnson
added, “The CLUW national office is hopeful that the
federation will take action on this important health issue.”
CLUW is actively working with two public
education programs to get this information out: the
Putting Women’s Health First program and the National
HPV & Cervical Cancer Campaign.
The goal of the Campaign is to eliminate
cervical cancer through increased education, outreach and
enhanced communication between women and their health care
providers.
For further in-depth information check
out the American Social Health Association's National HPV
Resource Center:
|
