Why Women in the Mississippi Delta Are Dying from Preventable Cervical Cancer
The Mississippi Delta—a region celebrated for its rich cultural history yet burdened by persistent structural poverty, racism, and discrimination—faces alarming rates of HPV-related illnesses, including the nation’s highest rate of cervical cancer deaths among black women. Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable when detected early through the HPV vaccine or timely screenings. However, many women in the Delta lack access to these critical interventions, often leading to late-stage diagnoses when cervical cancer becomes far more challenging to treat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV vaccination rates in the South remain alarmingly low, placing women and girls at heightened risk.
The American Cancer Society estimates 4,320 women will die from cervical cancer in 2025 — with black women 75% more likely to die from cervical cancer than white women. In 2023, I joined the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative (SRBWI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) as a community-based researcher, focusing on women’s access to reproductive healthcare and cervical cancer services in Humphreys County. As a lifelong resident of the Mississippi Delta, I’ve spent years advocating for health equity in underserved communities. Yet, despite my deep familiarity with the challenges around health education, I was profoundly struck by how little information many women had about the HPV vaccine—and how deeply this knowledge gap impacted their health and lives.
The consequences of this information gap span generations. Parents lack the critical information needed to protect their children from HPV, while older women—often unaware of the importance of screenings after age 65—face disproportionately high death rates. A glaring contributor to this issue is Mississippi’s failure to mandate comprehensive sexual health education in schools.
Without access to accurate, age-appropriate information, many young women and men lack essential knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health, including the benefits of the HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer and five other types of cancer. Families are left to navigate a healthcare system riddled with barriers—outlined in a recent report by SRBWI and Human Rights Watch – No Excuse: Inadequate Cervical Cancer Prevention and Care for Black Women in the United States Mississippi Delta — based on interviews with nearly 160 Black women in Humphreys, Bolivar, and Washington counties. These barriers include inadequate access to reproductive health information and services, limited gynecological care, unaffordable treatment, insufficient transportation, poor sexual health education (including HPV vaccine information), and pervasive distrust of the healthcare system stemming from experiences of racism and discrimination. This lack of education not only affects individuals but also perpetuates cycles of poor health outcomes within families and communities.
During my research, I encountered countless stories that underscored the gravity of this issue. One mother shared how she only learned about the HPV vaccine after her daughters had aged out of eligibility. Her regret and frustration echoed that of many parents who felt “let down” by schools and healthcare providers. Another interviewee, a woman in her 30s from Washington County, revealed that while her doctor recommended regular screenings, she was never informed about their purpose—a sentiment echoed by many others who felt lost in a complex medical system that fails to prioritize patient education.
These individual accounts paint a larger picture of systemic failure. The Delta’s women are being denied the information and resources they need to safeguard their health. This lack of access is not just a healthcare issue but a human rights violation. It is a stark reminder of the deep disparities that persist in one of the nation’s most underserved regions.
The statistics are sobering. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet it continues to claim lives in the Delta at disproportionate rates. The HPV vaccine, which can prevent up to 90% of cervical cancers, is a powerful tool that remains underutilized due to low awareness and accessibility. Regular Pap smears and HPV tests, which can detect precancerous changes before they become life-threatening, are equally vital. However, these lifesaving measures remain out of reach for too many women in the Delta, largely due to systemic barriers such as poverty, lack of transportation, and the scarcity of healthcare facilities.
As a researcher, advocate, and mother, I believe that access to information is the first step toward saving lives and closing the health disparity gap. Public health initiatives must prioritize community engagement and culturally relevant education to ensure that information about HPV prevention reaches those who need it most. Schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations must collaborate to fill the knowledge void and empower women to take charge of their health.
Moreover, policymakers must address the systemic barriers that prevent women in the Delta from accessing care. This includes expanding Medicaid to cover preventive services, investing in mobile health clinics to reach remote areas, and incentivizing healthcare providers to practice in underserved regions. Equally important is the need to train providers in cultural competency, ensuring that care is respectful and responsive to the unique needs of the Delta’s diverse population.
The stakes are too high to ignore. Every woman’s life lost to cervical cancer represents a preventable tragedy and a failure of our healthcare system. By addressing the systemic barriers to HPV prevention and care, we can significantly reduce cervical cancer rates and improve health outcomes for women in the Mississippi Delta. This is not just a public health imperative; it is a moral obligation to ensure that every woman, regardless of where she lives, has access to life-saving care and education.
In many ways, the challenges facing the women of the Delta reflect broader issues of inequality and neglect that have long plagued rural and marginalized communities. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond healthcare. It demands investments in education, economic development, and community infrastructure to create an environment where all residents can thrive.
The Mississippi Delta’s women deserve better. They deserve a future where preventable illnesses no longer claim lives, where healthcare is accessible and equitable, and where every individual has the knowledge and resources to lead a healthy life. Achieving this vision will require bold action and unwavering commitment from all sectors of society. Together, we can create a future where the women of the Delta thrive, free from the preventable burden of HPV and cervical cancer.