Educating Women and Young Girls for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - It's one of the few diseases that's preventable and curable if detected early.
Cervical cancer occurs most often in Hispanic and African-American women.
WABE's Rose Scott reports on barriers that impact young black women from getting a vaccine to prevent the disease:

The shot is called the HPV vaccine.
It stops the human papillomavirus linked to cervical cancer. It's recommended for 11 and 12 years-old girl as a precaution.
And for teens and women 13 through 26 who are sexually active.
Dr. Lisa Flowers has a theory as why many young girls are not getting the shot:

FLOWERS:((there's a concern of increase promiscuity among the daughters if they get the vaccine, the parents feel the daughters will feel protected and therefore it mightincrease sexual activity))

Flowers is an associate professor at Emory University.
She says in the African American community there's another reason that's keeping the girls from being vaccinated:

FLOWERS:((this vaccine hasn't been out enough and we know we've had problems with medications adversely affecting the African American community...we want to wait to know it's absolutely safe))

Dr. Flowers says when she talks about the importance of the HPV shot she's upfront about the disproportionate mortality rate as it relates to black women.
This Saturday a cervical cancer walk and awareness rally will take place in downtown Atlanta.



More information can be find on the January 30th Cervical Cancer Walk here: www.spiritfoundationinc.org © Copyright 2012, WABE