Addressing Cervical Cancer Disparities in the Mississippi Delta through Community-Based
Participatory Research

Report findings and recommendations documented factors contributing to alarming patterns of late-stage diagnoses, preventable deaths, and systemic failures in access to preventive care. Key barriers identified included lack of affordable health care, geographic isolation, and provider shortages, which force women to travel long distances to access care or to delay or forgo screenings due to transportation challenges and lack of nearby facilities. Generational mistrust of the health care system, rooted in systemic experiences of discrimination, medical exploitation, and a lack of culturally competent care, further compounds these barriers. Women reported being treated with disrespect, ignored, or dismissed by providers. Additionally, Mississippi ranks last in the country for HPV vaccination rates, with 38% of adolescents ages 13 to 17 receiving the full recommended doses by 2023. This low rate, combined with high rates of HPV cancers, places women and girls in the Delta at extreme risk. SRBWI’s research found fewer than half of the women interviewed were aware of the HPV vaccine. Parents too, were ill-informed about the vaccine. Stigma and misinformation about HPV and cervical cancer, combined with inadequate reproductive health education, contribute to fear and delays in seeking screening and treatment.

To address these disparities, health care providers serving rural Black communities can prioritize actionable recommendations outlined in the report, including providing trauma-informed, culturally competent care, expanding access through mobile clinics and telehealth, and collaborating with community-based organizations to ensure care is responsive to community needs. Providers should integrate HPV education into routine care and engage parents early by providing accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy. Expanding school-based vaccination programs and incorporating HPV discussions into reproductive health outreach efforts can further increase vaccine awareness and uptake. Providers can advocate for Medicaid expansion to ensure uninsured women have greater access to care. However, even for women who are employed and covered by Medicaid, affordability remains a significant barrier. Many reported being unable to cover copays and transportation costs, often forced to choose between attending follow-up appointments or meeting basic needs, such as buying food.

Building on our research in Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama, SRBWI will continue to engage community-based advocates to address misinformation, reduce stigma, and promote early screening. The next phase involves scaling outreach efforts across the Delta and collaborating with local health departments, federally qualified health centers, and providers to integrate HPV education and pilot responsive community-led solutions that address both screening and vaccination gaps.

Mississippi health care providers play a critical role in dismantling the structural inequities that contribute to preventable cervical cancer deaths. By investing in trust-building, improving provider-patient communication, and advocating for policy change, providers can create safer, more equitable health care where all women—especially Black women—receive the care they deserve.

Sarah Bobrow-Williams is the Program Director for Participatory Research and Community Assets at Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative. She leads initiatives that center community voices in research and advocacy for resilient communities, food systems, climate justice, and Black land sovereignty. She has been with SRBWI for 25 years. She also served as Co-Lead for the Goddard Graduate Institute and Lead Faculty for the MA in Social Innovation and Sustainability, fostering interdisciplinary learning and transformative scholarship until the college closed in 2024. As a PhD Candidate at Tuskegee University, her research examines climate displacement, Black land tenure, and social movements in the Black Belt South. She owns Bobrow-Williams Group LLC community planning firm and Taste of Justice social enterprise.