International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

A new report has indicated that fear plays a major role in whether women decide to go for cancer screening or not.

Research conducted by US-based Dr Kelly Ackerson and Dr Stephanie Preston also indicates that healthcare providers underestimate how much women need to know about the condition.

Their report claims that doctors wrongly assume women will ask for relevant information if they need it.

Dr Ackerson, an assistant professor at Western Michigan University, USA, stated: "Some women complied because they feared the disease and saw screening as routine care, but other women feared medical examinations, healthcare providers, tests and procedures and didn't seek screening if their health was good."

She added that a lack of information was a big barrier to some women seeking screening, with very few understanding that cervical smear testing aims to identify abnormal cells before they become malignant.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization granted pre-qualification status to Gardasil - a four-type human papillomavirus vaccine created by Merck Vaccines and Infectious Diseases.