January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. + Infographic text HPV (human papillomavirus) is very common — so common that almost all of us will get it at some point.  HPV infections often go away on their own, but the virus can cause some types of cancer. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV, and the HPV vaccine works really well to prevent infection. More than 9 out of 10 cancers caused by HPV can be prevented with vaccination   According to the World Health Organization, 140 countries have made HPV vaccines part of their national immunization programs. And it’s working. Australia is on target to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035, with around 80% of children receiving at least 1 HPV vaccine by age 15 in 2022.  Scotland has had 0 cases of cervical cancer in women fully vaccinated against HPV at age 12 or 13 since the country’s vaccine program started in 2008. Norway had 0 cases of cervical cancer caused by HPV in 25-year-olds who received the vaccine as children.  A study in Finland found that when 1 in 2 kids — not just girls — were vaccinated, most cancer-causing HPV types were wiped out. Here in the United States, we still have work to do when it comes to HPV vaccination. HPV vaccination rates in the U.S. are lower than in other countries  Just over 61% of 13-17 year olds in the U.S. were fully vaccinated against HPV vaccine in 2023. Compare this to vaccine coverage in these countries as of January 2024: Norway 91% Iceland 85% Sweden 80% HPV vaccination rates vary widely by state, and are generally lower in rural areas Just 39% of adolescents were up to date on the HPV vaccine in Mississippi in 2022, compared to 85% in Rhode Island. The HPV vaccine prevents cancer Talk to your healthcare provider about protecting yourself or your children from cancer with the HPV vaccine.  The HPV vaccine is recommended by the CDC for routine vaccination at age 11 or 12 (but can be started at age 9). The CDC also recommends HPV vaccination for everyone through age 26 if they weren’t vaccinated when they were younger. Some adults ages 27 through 45 who weren’t vaccinated when they were younger may decide to get vaccinated.   This educational resource was created with support from Merck.  

In the first episode in our series of WomenTalk on gynecologic oncology, we’ll learn all about cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers.Watch more WomenTalk episodes

It may seem strange now, but there was a time when patients weren’t always included in their healthcare decisions. “Doctor knows best” was the vibe — and the practice. Would you believe that it used to be routine for patients to not be told what their diagnosis was? Healthcare providers (HCPs) or family members often made treatment decisions without telling or even asking the patient. This still happens unfortunately but, thankfully, it’s no longer the norm. Shared decision-making is a process where HCPs and patients work together to make healthcare decisions. HCPs might provide research and data about medications or procedures, and patients may provide their priorities and goals. The two parties work together to arrive at a decision about how to proceed.Shared decision-making in healthcare shows respect for patients’ needs and values. And it has other benefits as well. Involving patients in their healthcare decisions can help people feel in control, make it easier and more likely that they’ll follow the plan for their treatment, and lessen the anxiety that often goes along with needing medical care. Even though there are now laws in place to require involving patients more, it can still be hard for patients to make their preferences known. Many patients — especially women and people in traditionally marginalized communities — may worry about being labeled as difficult if they speak up or ask too many questions. Some people fear offending their HCP if they express their opinions. And many people feel unprepared or unqualified to have a say in their treatment options. HCPs are often rushed and may not always feel they can make time to share information and inlcude the patient. Not taking that time may be easier and faster for the HCP, but it can leave the person out of the loop and rob them of their power.​Who is shared decision-making for? The short answer is that shared decision-making is for everyone. There are emergency situations where HCPs have to act without consulting the patient. Your life may depend on their quick action and expertise, and you may literally be unable to weigh in. In those cases, you probably don’t mind giving up your share of the decision-making process. But in many other cases, even some urgent situations, patients should have a voice in their care. For example, if you’re managing a chronic condition or you get a serious diagnosis, you probably have options for which treatment you get. If surgery could help you, but also introduces risks, you should be part of the decision to move forward or not. Even when there is a clear standard treatment and there isn’t as much need for discussion, people have personal preferences and unique priorities. How much risk does a person want to take for a chance at getting better? Are they willing to tolerate side effects? Are there other considerations in their life that may change the equation for them? Some people may choose physical therapy for a knee injury, while others may choose surgery. A woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) may choose a therapy that is most effective for her but has a higher risk of side effects. Someone else may be more concerned about the side effects and might make a different treatment decision. Whenever possible, HCPs should talk to you to make sure your treatment reflects your wishes and preferences.​How to use shared decision-making to get better healthcareIf your HCP engages in shared decision-making with you, be ready to use your voice. And, if your HCP doesn’t approach you to share in decision-making, you can take the first step. You can even say, “I want to make sure I fully understand my options before we move forward.” That will signal to your HCP that you are an engaged patient, and they need to partner with you in your healthcare decision. Here are some tips for engaging in shared decision-making to get the best care: Bring a list of questions with you so you can be sure you cover everything you’d like to go over during the visit.Ask about the risks, pros and cons of each treatment option.Ask what options other people tend to choose and why. Ask how treatment options might affect the things that are important to you. For example, if you want to keep up an active lifestyle or want to get pregnant, make sure your HCP knows and explains how any treatment would affect those aspects of your life.Find out what your HCP recommends. You can trust your HCP and still want to feel like you’re making a fully informed decision for yourself.Ask what is likely to happen if you don’t move forward with their recommendation. Research your condition and treatment options using credible sources so you are well-informed going into the conversation.​ResourcesPatient Decision-Making ToolsMultiple Sclerosis: Shared Decision Making ToolsThis educational resource was created with support from Novartis, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.

January is National Blood Donor Month. Did you know that every time you give blood you’re saving a life? In fact, one donation can save up to three lives, according to the American Red Cross. If that doesn’t have you rolling up your sleeve, consider the fact that every two seconds someone in America needs blood because of an accident, disease or surgery. That means you or someone you love could benefit from a donation at some point in your life. But blood is often in short supply because it has to be donated — we can’t make it in a lab or pool resources from the cast of “True Blood” (unfortunately). Fast Facts: What to Know Before You Donate Blood >> Now that you’re aware of this life-saving super power, make an appointment to donate blood and take our quiz to see how much you know before you go. 1. About half of the population in the U.S. donates blood each year. True False Correct Incorrect false. Only about 3% of Americans give blood. That’s nearly 7 million people, but organizations like the Red Cross and the Association for Blood Donor Professionals say more donors are needed to meet the constant demand. 2. Most eligible people can donate blood 6 times a year. True False Correct Incorrect true. Most people who can give blood can donate every 56 days, which is six times a year. 3. The process of donating blood takes about one hour. True False Correct Incorrect true. While the actual blood draw only takes about 10 minutes, there’s paperwork and a general health check (temperature, blood pressure, etc.) before you’re cleared for the blood draw. 4. You can’t give blood if you’re taking birth control pills. True False Correct Incorrect false. Oral contraceptives — or any type of birth control for that matter — don’t affect your ability to donate blood. 5. You can’t donate blood if you’re pregnant. True False Correct Incorrect true. People who are pregnant need sufficient levels of iron, and donating blood may cause low levels (anemia), which can harm the health of the baby and the person giving birth. The good news is that most people can start donating blood six weeks after giving birth. 6. Donating blood reduces your risk for cardiovascular disease — the leading cause of death in women and people assigned female at birth in the U.S. True False Correct Incorrect true. Another upside to giving blood: Research shows donating when eligible and over long periods of time is associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. One study of nearly 160,000 women who donated blood for 10 years found that high-frequency donors (more than 16 donations) were less likely to die from a cardiovascular event compared to less frequent (11 or less) donors. 7. Hormone therapy can impact your ability to give blood. True False Correct Incorrect false. Hormone therapy, the prescription treatment for menopause symptoms, doesn’t affect your eligibility to donate. 8. You can still give blood if you have a fever. True False Correct Incorrect false. You should be generally healthy during donation (feeling good, able to breathe through your mouth, etc.) and wait to give blood if you: have a fever, have a cough that brings up phlegm, or are on antibiotics for a sinus, throat or lung infection 9. Your bad-ass tattoo means no donating for you. True False Correct Incorrect false. But where and when did you get that ink? You should wait three months to donate blood if you got a tattoo in a state that doesn’t regulate tattoo facilities: Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. Reason: to make sure you don’t have hepatitis, which can spread through contact with infected blood.

When doctors talk to each other about scientific research and medical discoveries, it can sound like they’re speaking another language. As a patient, you may think, “This is all Greek to me!” And it might as well be. When scientists publish their research findings, they’re not writing for you and me. They’re writing for each other. They share a secret language, usually open only to those who have advanced science education or extensive experience conducting research.The average healthcare consumer is not part of that club. That may be fine when you’re healthy. You can pick up the latest medical news when your favorite TV station or mainstream news sources covers it.But if you have a complicated medical condition or you’re trying to get a diagnosis, you might need the details. The dense language used in scientific studies can make it impossible to understand the research. That can be more than simply an inconvenience. It can keep you in the dark about your own condition or treatment options. Plain language summaries (PLS) are reports that translate complex data and science jargon into everyday English, in terms anyone can understand. In the spirit of making complex ideas easy to digest, here’s what you should know about plain language summaries.​What is a plain language summary?A plain language summary (PLS) is a concise, easy-to-understand summary of a scientific article or study, which will typically be published in scientific or medical journals.PLS turn complex information into easy-to-read content, using terms non-experts can grasp. It’s like having someone who’s really good at explaining things help you make sense of complex science. ​Why do we need plain language summaries?Scientific research studies are usually peer-reviewed, which means other experts in the specific field of research review the study and decide whether it’s high quality and worthy of being published. It’s a hurdle scientists have to get over before they can publish their work. And that helps explain why these studies are so hard to understand. They’re not written to be clear to an average person. They’re aimed at an audience of other expert scientists.You may have thought you’d left science behind when you finished school. You might not have believed it when your science teacher tried to convince you that you’d use their lessons in real life someday. But maybe you or a loved one are experiencing a serious medical condition, or you want to understand a new vaccine. Maybe you have symptoms that your doctor can’t explain, and you wish you could get to the bottom of it. Now suddenly, you might wish you’d paid more attention in science class. At least you might admit that your science teacher may have been right that understanding science can be useful in daily life.PLS are the bridge between the complex, detailed science behind medical research and discoveries and the rest of us — who may not have loved science class or retained much from it. PLS give non-scientists the power to understand research that may be directly relevant to their health. Without plain language summaries, patients are at the mercy of their doctors and other experts. If you are someone who likes to understand what’s going on or who wants to do some of your own research, PLS are a gift. They give you access to information that otherwise only experts might understand, like a decoder ring or a foreign-language translator.With the rise of AI, it’s now easy to get summaries of complex information in an instant. But there’s a catch: not all AI output is trustworthy. Some AI tools make things up. They might reference sources that don’t exist or aren’t applicable. They might look and sound convincing, but you should beware of putting too much trust into these summaries just yet. They will no doubt keep getting better, but in the meantime, PLS are created by trusted, expert sources and can be more reliable summaries of the research. ​Who are plain language summaries for?PLS are for everyone: patients and regular healthcare consumers as well as healthcare providers (HCPs). HCPs may have specialized training and more knowledge about medical topics than regular people but they are often busy and may appreciate a quick summary, especially if it’s in an area outside of their regular practice area. As patients, we may never know as much as our HCPs — and some of us don’t want to know as much as they do. It helps to be able to trust our HCPs’ expertise. But PLS help put patients on a more even playing field with their HCPs. They allow patients to ask good questions and make truly informed decisions about our own care.​How to find and read a plain language summaryNot all studies have a companion PLS, and PLS can be tricky to find because there’s no standard for where and when to publish them. More and more, though, PLS are seen as a way to help share scientific findings with the public. The Cochrane Collaboration, a global network of health researchers and professionals, publishes reviews of medical research that assess the effectiveness of different interventions, based on published studies. It now publishes a PLS alongside each review. You might also find PLS on the website of the journal that published the study. One study of PLS found that PLS might be within the article, alongside the article in a link or separate tab on a website, or in separate channels such as social media platforms or a separate website.This educational resource was created with support from Sumitomo Pharma, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.