While cervical cancer affects all races, Latinas are diagnosed with cervical cancer nearly twice as often as Caucasian, African American and Asian Pacific Islander women. Latinas and African American women are also more likely to die of cervical cancer than Caucasian and Asian Pacific Islanders – due in large part to a lack of screenings and vaccinations.

Because of this prevalence, the California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation recognized four organizations for their outstanding work to reduce cervical cancer disparities within California’s Latina communities. The four awardees include: Altamed Health Services, Latinas Contra Cancer, UMMA Community Clinic and Worksite Wellness LA. To help raise awareness for Cervical Health Awareness Month, award winners are hosting events and clinics for early cervical cancer detection and vaccines during the month of January.

Cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer worldwide and is responsible for more than 4,000 deaths in the United States. Each year approximately 1,400 California women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 400 die from the disease.

It is one of the few preventable cancers that can easily be detected through an inexpensive pap test and also prevented through a vaccine. Pap tests can find abnormal cells that may turn into cervical cancer, and can find cervical cancer early, when the chance of being cured is very high.

According to the American Cancer Society’s California Cancer Facts and Figures 2012 report, the vaccine has the potential to prevent up to 70 percent of cervical cancer cases and deaths in California each year.

Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by the Human Papillomavirus, or HPV. Millions of American women are infected with HPV, but due to its often symptomless nature, a woman can be unaware of her risk of developing cervical cancer.

The Director of Reproductive Health for Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Diana Ramos, MD, MPH stated, “As a physician it is a tragedy to see so many deaths from a preventable disease. No and low-cost pap tests and vaccinations are widely available. I urge women to schedule pap tests for themselves and vaccinations for young women.”

Pap tests are available free of charge for lowincome wo-men through California’s federally funded “Every Woman Counts” program and HPV vaccines are covered by insurance and the “Vaccines for Children” program.

To see if you qualify for a free cervical cancer screening, call Every Woman Counts at 1-800-511-2300. Operators speak English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Vietnamese. If you qualify, you will be referred to participating doctors in your neighborhood.

To see if your child qualifies for a free HPV Vaccine, ask their doctor if they offer “Vaccines for Children” (VFC) shots. Children eligible for California’s Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program may also be eligible for free or low-cost shots.

The CMA Foundation is part of the nationwide Cervical Cancer-Free campaign, which aims to reduce the prevalence of cervical cancer through increased screening and vaccination. California’s campaign focuses on Latinas and other groups at greatest risk, those with continued high rates of cancer and low rates of screening and prevention. A comprehensive array of resources and multilingual patient education materials are available on the project’s website.

“With the availability of no or low-cost screenings and vaccines, we can eradicate this preventable disease. It is our goal to make sure that women and their families know their options and where to access vital services so that we no longer have to endure more senseless deaths,” said Carol Lee, Esq., president and CEO of the CMA Foundation.