One in six Aussie women have Pap test

Women living in the Northern Territory are the least likely to have a Pap test, followed by those in Queensland.

Only about half of all eligible women in NT and QLD had their regular Pap smear test in 2014-2015, according to new national figures.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare issued the latest participation rates for the National Cervical Screening Program on Friday.

The Queensland rate of participation for 2014/15 was just 54.5 per cent, only slightly higher than the lowest participation rate in the country, in the Northern Territory, at 54.4 per cent.

Nationally, participation in the Cervical Screening Program is around 56 per cent.

This represents nearly 6 in 10 women aged 20-69 who had a Pap test.

The risk of a woman being diagnosed with cervical cancer by the age of 85 is 1 in 152.

Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is detected in around eight out of 10 women at some time in their lives.

A vaccine is now available to prevent HPV infection, but the National Cervical Screening Program recommends all women aged between 18 and 70 who have ever been sexually active to have Pap tests every two years to prevent the disease.

Cancer Council Queensland spokesperson Katie Clift says its vital for all eligible women to undergo a Pap test, even if they had completed the full course of HPV vaccinations.

"Regular Pap smears currently remain the best protection against cervical cancer," Ms Clift said.

"Through population screening at regular intervals, the Pap smear test has the potential to reduce up to 90 per cent of cervical cancer cases in Australia."

The AIHW figures also show more than five in 10 women, or 56 per cent, aged 50-74 had a mammogram through BreastScreen Australia in the past two years.