Fear of stigma, lack of awareness, and fatalistic beliefs about cancer being a death sentence discourage women from undergoing screening. Even when women are empowered in terms of education and decision-making, a lack of targeted health communication and outreach continues to limit access to essential services
SHILLONG, April 13: Despite having one of the highest oral cancer incidence rates among women in India, Meghalaya reports one of the lowest screening coverage figures in the country. A recent study, published in a scientific journal, ‘Nature’ reveals that only 0.45% of women in the state have undergone oral cancer screening — well below the already low national average of 0.77%.
Oral cancer is the second most common cancer in India and contributes to 5% of all cancers in women. The study examined how socioeconomic status (SES) and women empowerment status (WES) influenced screening uptake across Indian states and union territories.
Meghalaya’s SES score stood at 3.10, while its WES score was relatively high at 3.21. Despite this, the state’s screening Dimension Index (DI) was a mere 0.04 — signaling that empowerment on paper has not translated into real-world health-seeking behavior.
It suggests that this gap may be rooted in socio-cultural factors. In many parts of Meghalaya, especially rural areas, discussions around cancer remain taboo. Fear of stigma, lack of awareness, and fatalistic beliefs about cancer being a death sentence discourage women from undergoing screening. Even when women are empowered in terms of education and decision-making, a lack of targeted health communication and outreach continues to limit access to essential services.
The study also found a strong link between access to basic amenities and screening coverage.
Women with improved sanitation and clean cooking fuel were significantly more likely to have undergone screening, highlighting the broader impact of living conditions on healthcare participation.
While states like Andhra Pradesh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands saw higher screening coverage — 7% and 10.3% respectively — due to aggressive awareness campaigns and community health initiatives, Meghalaya lags behind despite its urgent need. States with better integration of screening into routine health services have shown that sustained public health efforts can improve outcomes, even in areas with limited resources.