Remove The Doubt, a dedicated cervical screening awareness campaign created by and for LGBTQ+ people, has been launched to help address the inequalities and misinformation around cervical screening. Over the summer, phase 2 of the campaign is being launched, running for eight weeks from July 10.
Remove The Doubt is delivered by Live Through This, a charity that supports and advocates for LGBTQ+ people affected by cancer, and the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance. The aims of the campaign are to:
- Increase awareness and understanding of cervical screening, eligibility, and inclusive treatment of patients
- Educate health professionals about the LGBTQ+ community and their experiences through webinars as part of the drive to increase screening rates
Remove The Doubt wants LGBTQ+ people who have a cervix to know that they have a right to be screened. This may include women, trans men, non-binary people assigned female at birth, and some intersex people. If someone does not have a cervix (e.g., because they have had a total hysterectomy), they will not need cervical screening.
To truly understand the barriers that LGBTQ+ people feel around cervical screening, Live Through This and the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance held workshops with members of the community, the findings of which include:
- Fear of judgement and misunderstanding during screening
- Anecdotes of mistreatment on the basis of their identity
- Anxiety around gendered associations when coming to book appointments, especially about reproductive health
- Community myths about the need for screening
- Mistrust of healthcare professionals in relation to inappropriate questions being asked
Live Through This and the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance are rallying together to improve cervical screening rates and the health outcomes for the LGBTQ+ community and have decided to take their vital health message out into the community they so passionately serve.
This summer, Remove The Doubt will attend Happy Valley Pride in Hebden Bridge, on Saturday, July 29. Uptake for cervical screening in this area is 71.5% in comparison to the national target which is 80%; this area also has a significantly higher representation of the LGBTQ+ patient group than other areas of West Yorkshire.
Stewart O’Callaghan, CEO and Founder of Live Through This, said: “Remove The Doubt aims to empower LGBTQ+ people and by taking this message out into the community we hope to educate, inform and free them of the worries they are feeling towards cervical screening. We shouldn’t be living in a world whereby someone’s gender or how they identify can negatively impact their health but sadly that is the case for so many people. We will be at Happy Valley Pride, providing a safe space for anyone to come and learn more about cervical screening and what it involves.”
Hayley Snowden, Health Inequalities Programme Manager for the West Yorkshire & Harrogate Cancer Alliance, said: “It’s great to be working alongside members of the LGBTQ+ community on Remove The Doubt and we’d like to say a huge thank you to all those featured for helping us to promote positive messages around cervical screening.
“There’s no doubt that cancer screening saves lives but sadly, research shows that trans men don’t know they are eligible for cervical screening if they still have a cervix. Fear that they will have a bad experience, or that healthcare staff attitudes will be inappropriate can often prevent them from attending. As a Cancer Alliance, we want to shine a light on this important area of prevention – raise awareness around eligibility and educate our healthcare professional colleagues about the issues facing the LGBTQ community and how they can help and support.”
Click here to read more about Remove The Doubt