By Nicole Precel
WOMEN with disabilities in Hobsons Bay will not be overlooked thanks to a new program to push important medical checks.
The launch of the We Are Women Too postcard last Wednesday at the Substation aimed to promote awareness and understanding of cervical cancer screening among women with disabilities.
Deputy mayor Tony Briffa said research had shown that women with a disability faced a lot of barriers to cervical cancer screening, which prohibited them from carrying out the pap tests.
Councillor Luba Grigorovitch said the initiative was an important one to promote women’s health for women with disabilities.
PapScreen Victoria manager Kate Broun said research had shown that women with a disability were often not seen as sexually active adults and that health professionals often tended to a women’s disability needs as a priority, with less emphasis on preventative health care.
“The new postcard resource reinforces the message that all women aged between 18 and 70 years – regardless of ability – who have ever been sexually active should have a pap test every two years,” she said.
“Regular screening is every woman’s best protection against cervical cancer.”
The postcard, an initiative of Metro Access, Department of Human Services, PapScreen Victoria and Hobsons Bay City Council, aims to spread the simple but important message.
For details visit www.hobsonsbay.vic. gov.au/peoplewithadisability.
