South Carolina cervical cancer deaths in top tier despite average case rate

Statistics point to lack of coherent public policy regarding HPV vaccine and overall public health disaster in South Carolina

South Carolina ranks 20th out of the 50 states for cervical cancer rates. At a rate of 7.9 cases out of every 100,000 women this puts South Carolina in line with the overall national population. (Source: U.S. Center for Disease Control)

What is particularly disturbing is that the DEATH RATE for South Carolina's women from cancer of the cervix is the 6th highest in the nation after Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana and Kentucky and tied with neighboring Georgia, Alabama and Texas. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

According to the Kaiser Family foundation, "Nearly all cervical cancer is caused by 10 to 15 high-risk types of a common sexually transmitted virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV)."

Maybe South Carolina's Gov. Nikki Haley and Senator Jim Demint could learn something from Rick Perry's Texas when it comes to fighting cervical cancer.

In light of the recent Republican debate over public HPV vaccination programs, it is interesting that Rick Perry's Texas which has a much higher rate of cervical cancer cases than South Carolina (9.7 out of 100,000 or No.2 out of the 50 states) has obviously made some progress in fighting this life threatening disease.

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