DIY at home smear test kits will be trialed in the UK this year YOU Magazine

DIY at home smear test kits will be trialed in the UK this year YOU Magazine

DIY at-home smear test kits will be trialed in the UK this year - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Life DIY at-home smear test kits will be trialed in the UK this year By You Magazine - March 26, 2019 DIY smear tests could soon become a reality across the country, with a pilot scheme of self-sampling kits being rolled out in north and east London from September. The changes are being made in order to encourage more women to undergo cervical screenings following the new that the number of women attending their regular cervical cancer screenings had fallen to a 20-year low. In 2018, just 71.4 per cent of women attended their smear test; a startlingly low number compared with 72 per cent the previous year and 73.7 per cent back in 2011. Getty Images Women aged 25-64 who are least six months overdue for their smear tests will be invited to take part in the pilot. They will receive a kit containing a vaginal swab that enables them to collect a sample at home, and a freepost envelope or box to send it back to the lab for testing. Robert Music, chief executive of cervical cancer charity Jo’s Trust, said that the move could prove to be a ‘game-changer’ in regards to access to screening. ‘Introduction of self sampling will be of enormous benefit to many people, including survivors of sexual violence and women with a physical disability,’ he explained. ‘Other countries are already seeing very positive results of HPV self-sampling, with those who have delayed attending for many years choosing to take the test. It is now crucial that this pilot moves forward quickly to ensure we are not left behind in our vision of eliminating cervical cancer.’ Getty Images Back in December, an announcement made by Professor Anne Mackie, director of screening at Public Health England, confirmed that a consultation period was currently being carried out ‘to look at the benefits of self-testing at home for women.’ The concept emerged after the British Medical Journal undertook a study (taking results from 56 different studies) to determine how effective at-home testing could be, and discovered it could be a positive move. ‘Offering self sampling kits generally is more effective in reaching underscreened women than sending invitations,’ explained the authors of the study. ‘Self-sampling is a much more accessible test, making it easier for many groups,’ Robert Music commented at the time. ‘Our recent research found that 80 per cent of women would prefer to self-sample at home, and this number rose to 88 per cent of women who had delayed having a smear test.’ Getty Images Smear tests are undertaken to detect human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to potentially pre-cancerous cells in the cervix. Early detection can help to prevent serious illnesses such as cervical cancer. Currently, women between the ages of 25 and 65 are invited in for regular screenings, with women aged 25-49 invited every 3 years, and women aged 50 to 64 invited every five years. Women over the age of 65 can go in to be tested, but will not automatically receive an invitation from their GP. RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Everything we know about The Crown season 5 Aldi s exercise equipment is on sale with up to 50% off The best Halloween events for 2022 across the UK Popular in Life Groomzillas Brace yourself for a new breed of monster rampaging down July 7, 2019 Elizabeth Day Sorry can t make your party I m on the sofa August 11, 2019 Using these 10 words makes you middle class apparently September 9, 2019 Megan Phelps-Roper ‘ I was born to preach hate I chose to October 6, 2019 Dr Clare Bailey No energy You may need an iron boost November 10, 2019 Emma Winterschladen Meet the mega matchmaker December 1, 2019 Dr Clare Bailey Comfort joy… and a festive hug December 22, 2019 Elizabeth Day I’ m not grumpy… it’ s just my face January 19, 2020 Elizabeth Day Oh the joy of knowing nothing February 16, 2020 This postcard is a sweet simple way to help others during March 16, 2020 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. All Rights Reserved
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