Cervical Cancer Screening and Prevention in Central America

Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women around the world. In the Central American region, it is a leading cause of mortality for young women due to inadequate preventive and screening measures. The disease is slow-growing and caused by the human papillomavirus, which is transmitted via sexual contact. The HPV vaccination was created in order to prevent the disease, and there are a variety of quality screening methods to quickly identify progression. The most common screening methods include the Papanicolaou (Pap) test and visualization by acetic acid (VIA). While frequent screening is common in developed countries, rates are much lower in Central American countries primarily due to financial and educational constraints. In order to prevent cases of cervical cancer in this region, current educational assistance programs should be expanded, and financial assistance must be procured. In terms of screening, VIA should be preferred over Pap testing in Central America due to its cost effectiveness and lesser training requirements