By Eric Galatas
Special to The SUN
Reinforcements in the battle against cervical cancer are on their way for women at risk in Colorado. The Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN) has been awarded $150,000 to launch a pilot project to improve screening rates at clinics.
The federal government recently changed guidelines for when Pap tests are required and Jessica Sanchez, chief of quality and development with CCHN, said the grant will ensure patients and providers understand the new recommendations.
“What we’re trying to do is to try to get more women to get more cancer screenings, so that their overall health is improved,” she said. “They have an increased knowledge of ways to take care of themselves.”
Sanchez said Colorado sees some 160 new cervical cancer cases and almost 40 related deaths each year. She noted the pilot was designed to reach populations most at risk for the disease, which include low-income women and women of color.
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