The majority of women are willing to undergo less frequent cervical cancer screening, consistent with screening guidelines, if it was recommended by their health care provider, according to a study published in the February special issue of Preventive Medicine, dedicated to analyzing the shift from cytology to human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for cervical cancer screening. However, a sizeable minority expresses resistance to longer screening intervals and/or new detection methods, including HPV testing, instead of the traditional Papanicolaou (Pap) test. In 2012, multiple professional organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, published updated guidelines for cervical cancer screening that discourage annual testing and screening of low-risk populations (e.g., women below age 21 or above age 65). Cytology is now recommended every three years for women aged 21 to 29 years and cytology every 3 years or HPV co-testing every five years is recommended for women aged 30 to 65 years. However, the authors of the Preventive Medicine study say that patients’ comfort with the guidelines could affect successful adoption. The researchers conducted an online survey using a national sample of 376 U.S. women aged 21 to 65 years. […]