Cervical cancer remains one of the most preventable types of cancer, yet thousands of women in the United States continue to die from it each year. In 2025, the American Cancer Society estimated 13,360 new cases of invasive cervical cancer and 4,320 deaths. Although, these deaths are not evenly distributed. They disproportionately affect Black women, Hispanic women, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.
Disparities in Screening and Diagnosis
More than half of all new cervical cancer cases occur among women who have never been screened or were screened infrequently. Screening and HPV vaccination are proven preventive measures, but access is far from equal. Black women are less likely to receive routine Pap smears and HPV vaccines, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of the disease.
Only 37% of non-Hispanic Black women are diagnosed at a localized stage, compared to 46% of White women, which significantly reduces survival chances in Black women. Overall, Black women face a 65% higher mortality rate than in Non-Hispanic White people despite having a similar screening prevalence. Additionally, the 5-year relative survival rate for cervical cancer is 67% overall and 67% in Non-Hispanic White people, but only 56%in Non-Hispanic Black people. This demonstrates how these disparities among Black women negatively impact their overall health and well-being.
Insurance status also plays a critical role in the survival rates and diagnoses. Women with private insurance or Medicare are more likely to be diagnosed early, while those uninsured or covered by Medicaid face higher rates of a late-stage diagnosis. This is due to lower screening rates and delayed follow-ups for abnormal test results.
Generational Trends
HPV vaccination has driven progress among younger women. Since 2012, cervical cancer incidence has dropped 11% annually for women aged 20–24, which is the generation that had access to the vaccine. However, rates are rising by 1.7% annually among women aged 30–44, who were too old to benefit from early vaccination programs.
