Study Finds Cervical Cancer Gap in Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin researchers report that Black Wisconsinites still face nearly twice the cervical cancer incidence of white Wisconsinites despite overall declines.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Cancer

Low-rise brick medical building on flat open farmland under a pale winter sky, with one bare tree and a distant horizon. — University of Wisconsin researchers report that Black Wisconsinites still face nearly twice the cervical cancer incidence of white residents, even as statewide rates fell 28% from 1998 to 2022. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Wisconsin expand state programs to close racial gaps in cervical cancer care?

Wisconsin cervical cancer incidence declined by 28% between 1998 and 2022, according to a study by University of Wisconsin researchers published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal. The gap between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic white Wisconsinites narrowed nationally but remained in Wisconsin.

Why it matters

The persistent gap shows that overall progress has not reached all groups equally, and the narrowing was significantly smaller in Milwaukee County than in surrounding counties. Understanding where the disparity persists is central to targeting prevention and care.

The study compared Wisconsin cervical cancer incidence across racial, ethnic and geographic groups from 1998 to 2022, finding a 28% overall decline and a non-Hispanic Black incidence nearly double that of non-Hispanic white residents. The specific barriers driving the remaining gap were not determined by the study.

The players

University of Wisconsin

The public research university whose researchers conducted the study on cervical cancer disparities in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Well Woman Program

A state program that covers colposcopy and LEEP care for under- and uninsured Wisconsinites, and which the study identifies as a potential lever for narrowing the gap.

The details

Researchers found that Black adolescents in Wisconsin have HPV vaccination rates comparable to or higher than white adolescents, and Black adults reported recent Pap testing at similar or higher rates than white adults. Vaccination and screening access therefore do not fully explain the incidence gap, which the study could not attribute to a single cause.

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 World Health Organization has set a goal of eliminating invasive cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030, and Wisconsin could approach that target. However, the persistence of racial disparities suggests that population-level gains may not translate equally across groups.

Wisconsin residents under 40 who are under- or uninsured may be eligible for colposcopy and LEEP care through the Wisconsin Well Woman Program. The study suggests that expanding access to this program could significantly narrow the incidence gap.

The takeaway

Cervical cancer prevention depends on more than vaccination and screening rates, since Black Wisconsinites face higher incidence despite comparable access in those areas. Addressing the remaining gap will likely require examining barriers the study could not isolate.