Mississippi, a state known for its rich culture and strong heritage, also faces some of the nation’s most glaring health disparities. Among them is the inequity in cervical-cancer prevention and treatment, which is often shaped by racism and systemic discrimination in health care.
Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer at later stages and have a lower five-year survival rate, meaning they are less likely to survive for five years after diagnosis. Mississippi, which has the highest cervical-cancer death rate in the country, is a stark example of this disparity. In the state, Black women are nearly 1.5 times more likely to die from cervical cancer than their white counterparts, even though the incidence rates between Black and white women are nearly identical.
I am a community-based researcher and health-equity advocate with more than 20 years of experience addressing health-care disparities in the Mississippi Delta. My work has brought me face-to-face with the structural barriers that continue to disproportionately harm Black women in our state. These barriers, rooted in systemic racism, perpetuate cycles of mistrust and disengagement in the health-care system, further exacerbating health inequities.
When Black women experience bias or dismissal, trust in providers erodes, leading to avoidance of care and worse outcomes. For many Black women I’ve interviewed, medical providers and institutions have perpetuated a cycle of generational mistreatment that has left a justified and chronic skepticism about the intentions and reliability of health-care systems.
This discourages many Black women from pursuing needed gynecological services. This mistrust complicates efforts to promote preventive care such as regular screenings and timely treatment for cervical cancer, leaving many women hesitant to seek care from a system that has marginalized them for generations.
One woman I spoke with shared her experience of severe cramping as a result of an IUD, only for her gynecologist’s office to dismiss her. When someone on staff finally saw her, the care she received was rushed and aggressive, leaving her feeling unheard and mistreated. Her concerns were not properly addressed until she switched providers and found someone who took her seriously.
Another interviewee recounted her decision to avoid local doctors altogether after enduring substandard care in Washington County, saying that her health increased considerably after finding care elsewhere. Her story reflects a painful truth for many Black women in Mississippi—equitable, compassionate care often feels out of reach.
These individual stories are part of a broader, documented pattern. Research consistently shows that health-care providers are less likely to recommend preventive measures like HPV vaccinations to Black patients. Providers also frequently dismiss Black women’s health concerns, resulting in delayed diagnoses and subpar treatment. This pattern of medical racism is more than an injustice—it is a public-health crisis.
Cervical cancer should not be a death sentence in Mississippi or anywhere else. The eradication of the entrenched racism and discrimination in our health-care system will move us closer to a future where every woman has an equal chance at prevention, treatment and survival.
Addressing these disparities requires more than acknowledgment; it demands action. We need increased investment in community health clinics to bring quality care to underserved areas. Cultural competency training for health-care providers is equally essential to combat implicit bias and foster better relationships with patients.
Mississippi has the opportunity to lead by example in dismantling the systemic inequities that have plagued its health-care system for far too long. By prioritizing health equity and addressing these disparities head-on, we can ensure that every woman in our state—regardless of race or zip code—has access to the preventive care and treatment she deserves.
This MFP Voices opinion essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to voices@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
