Australia has become the first country in the world to offer self-test kits to all patients who need to be tested for cervical cancer.
Patients will be able to choose self-test swabs instead of the traditional method of a Pap smear where a doctor performs the swab which may seem quite invasive.
This is what we know about change.
Australia launches self-test kits for cervical cancer (9News)
As of today, patients can choose to have a swab self-test to test for cervical cancer instead of having a health care professional take the test known as Pap smears.
It aims to bridge the gap with communities with low levels of screening by making the test feel less invasive.
For many women and people with a cervix, especially those who have suffered violence or sexual abuse, getting a regular Pap test by a GP can be traumatic, and many women choose not to participate.
By being able to do the test yourself, you are expected to increase the number of screenings.
How do I know if I am eligible?
Anyone between the ages of 25 and 74 with a cervix, who has ever been sexually active, can choose to get tested.
Cervical cancer screening tests come from the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is a common infection that can cause cervical cancer.
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that usually has no symptoms and goes away on its own, but can sometimes cause serious illness.
There are different types of HPV, low-risk and high-risk, and high-risk viral infections can cause cervical cancer.
The photo shows a positive result from the Pap test for cervical cancer. (AP)
Don’t be alarmed, most people with cervical cancer who have HPV infection never have cervical cancer; only some types of HPV cause cervical cancer.
In addition, most Australians receive an HPV vaccine while in school.
However, anyone with a cervix who has been sexually active should be screened.
You can pick up a self-test kit through a GP clinic, a women’s health clinic, Aboriginal health centers, and other health care providers.
So you will still have to go to a GP to get the test done and they will give you guidance on how to do it.
You can then enter a private room, take the test and leave it due to pathology.
You can pick up the test at your healthcare provider. (9 News)
How do I take the test?
Unlike the usual Pap test, self-collection tests do not have to reach the cervix, which is why they are usually done by GPs.
Instead, you can pick up the swab from your healthcare provider and use it to take a sample from the vagina.
You can still choose to have a healthcare provider collect the sample using a speculum.
How often do you need a cervical cancer test?
You have to take a test every five years.
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