MS SC541

Designates January 2022 as "Cervical Health Awareness Month in Mississippi"

Acknowledges cervical cancer remains a significant health threat, with an estimated 14,480 new U.S. cases and 4,280 deaths in 2021

Highlights racial health disparities: Black women are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer as white women, and Hispanic women are 30% more likely to die from it than white women

Encourages all women to schedule well-woman exams and Pap+HPV (co-testing) cervical cancer screenings as preventive measures

Notes COVID-19 worsened health disparities, with 46% of women delaying preventative care and 32% skipping recommended screenings