Jade Goody’s cancer fight boosts screenings among women

LONDON - Late reality star Jade Goody’s public battle with cervical cancer has led to a dramatic rise in the number of women going for screenings.

Experts at Warwick Medical School explored how the volume of news articles covering a high-profile celebrity illness can influence public behaviour.

Diagnosed in 2008, Jade died in March 2009 and researchers noted a rise of around 100,000 UK cervical cancer screenings in 2008-09, the first increase since 2002.

Screening coverage rose from 77.85 per cent in the 25 to 64 age group in 2007-08 to 78.94 per cent in 2008-09.

“Although this percentage increase appears quite modest, we are actually looking at an increase of around 100,000 screenings,” the Daily Express quoted on of the report’s authors, David Metcalfe, as saying.

However, the charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said as many as 400,000 extra screenings were carried out in 2008-09. (ANI)