Wisconsin Cervical Cancer Gap Persists Despite Drop
Black Wisconsinites have nearly twice the cervical cancer rate of white residents, even as overall incidence fell 28%.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Cancer
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University of Wisconsin researchers published a study in the Wisconsin Medical Journal showing Wisconsin cervical cancer incidence fell 28% between 1998 and 2022, but a persistent gap remains between Black and white residents. The study found Black Wisconsinites have nearly twice the cervical cancer incidence of white Wisconsinites, with the gap narrowing significantly less in Milwaukee County than in surrounding counties.
Why it matters
The disparity matters for prevention and treatment because HPV vaccination and Pap testing rates among Black Wisconsinites are comparable to or higher than white residents, pointing to factors beyond uptake alone. The findings arrive as the World Health Organization targets eliminating invasive cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030.
This population-level analysis of Wisconsin cancer incidence data from 1998 to 2022 compared rates across racial, ethnic, and geographic groups alongside vaccination and screening figures. The study cannot determine which specific barriers account for the persistent gap.
The players
University of Wisconsin
A public research university whose researchers conducted the study on cervical cancer disparities in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Medical Journal
A peer-reviewed medical journal that published the study examining cervical cancer incidence across Wisconsin populations.
World Health Organization
The United Nations agency that leads global public health guidance and set the 2030 target for eliminating invasive cervical cancer as a public health problem.
The details
The study compared cervical cancer incidence across racial, ethnic, and geographic groups in Wisconsin over a 24-year window. It paired those incidence trends with vaccination and screening data by racial group, which allowed researchers to check whether differences in prevention and testing could explain the gap. Because HPV vaccination and Pap testing were similar or higher among Black Wisconsinites, the researchers' findings point to other contributing factors that the data alone cannot identify.
Timeline
1998 to 2022: Period of Wisconsin cervical cancer data analyzed by the study.
2030: World Health Organization target for eliminating invasive cervical cancer as a public health problem.
Health Landscape
The WHO has set 2030 as the target for eliminating invasive cervical cancer as a public health problem. Wisconsin's narrowing but persistent racial gap shows how population-level progress can coexist with uneven burden across communities.
If you are a Wisconsin resident who has not yet had an HPV vaccine or a recent Pap test, these are worth raising with your doctor at your next checkup. Coverage through the Wisconsin Well Woman Program for colposcopy and LEEP care for under- and uninsured residents under 40 may be relevant if follow-up care is needed.
The takeaway
Cervical cancer incidence in Wisconsin has fallen 28% since 1998, but Black residents still face nearly double the rate of white residents. Ask your doctor whether your HPV vaccination and cervical screening are up to date.
Further reading
For more on how cancer burden varies across populations, explore our Cancer coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Badger Herald.
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