Nationwide — African American women in the Mississippi Delta are more likely to die from cervical cancer due to systemic healthcare failures, a new report finds. Limited access to medical care, poverty, and racial disparities have contributed to higher death rates in the region.
Oleta Fitzgerald, co-founder of the initiative, emphasized why the issue is critical.
“It is a cancer that is preventable and highly treatable if people have access to the right kind of medical professionals and screenings and the HPV vaccination,” Fitzgerald said, according to Mississippi Today. “It is also a cancer that is rampant and particularly and indiscriminately in Black women in the rural areas where we work, and there is something we can do about it.”
The American Cancer Society estimates 4,320 women will die from cervical cancer in 2025, with Black women 75% more likely to die from the disease than white women. The report identifies poverty, lack of education, and lack of healthcare coverage as key factors.
One major issue is the absence of Medicaid expansion in Mississippi, which leaves many women without healthcare coverage. This, combined with a shortage of OB-GYNs and rural hospital closures, makes access to screenings and treatment difficult. Eight of the 18 Delta counties are maternity care deserts, meaning there are no hospitals or providers offering obstetric care.
Racial discrimination in healthcare also contributes to distrust. Many Black women in the area avoid medical visits due to past negative experiences with the system.
Another major concern is the low HPV vaccination rate. The vaccine can prevent many cases of cervical cancer, yet in 2023, only 38% of Mississippi teens received all recommended doses. A lack of education on reproductive health contributes to the low uptake.
The report suggests several solutions, including Medicaid expansion, better education on sexual health, and increased access to telehealth and community health centers. Advocates continue to push for Medicaid expansion during the current legislative session.
“This environment will be more difficult because policymakers are moving in lock-step with the national policy agenda,” she said. “But we never give up.”