By Staff
Melissa Dozier-Cason, FCT staff writer
Russellville Hospital hosted a Community Luncheon Thursday afternoon at which Dr. Daphne Jones, OB/GYN, discussed women's health issues.
Jones talked to the crowd of over 50 community members at length about the Human papillomavirus, or HPV. HPV is a disease that can cause cervical cancer in women.
"We cannot treat HPV, only the changes it causes to the cervix," Jones said.
A vaccination has become available to protect women from HPV.
The vaccine has been approved for females, ages nine to 26. The American Pediatrics Association already recommends the vaccine for all girls, Jones said.
"It is very possible that this vaccine may become a mandatory vaccination in the future much like other common vaccines," Jones said.
Jones also talked about the importance of pap tests and mammograms, and went over the guidelines for each test including the new guidelines for pap tests on patients with a history of normal tests.
"If you have had three normal pap tests in a row, it may not be necessary to have a pap test every year, but you should always go in for a check up," Jones said.
The doctor also discussed the symptoms and treatment for menopause.
"I don't know why they call it menopause," Jones jokingly told the audience. "It should be called womenopause."
Russellville Hospital hosts community luncheons on a monthly basis to benefit the health of the community. The next luncheon will be held Friday, Feb. 2 for the American Heart Association's National Go Red for Women day at the A.W. Todd Center in Russellville. For more info on the luncheons, call Christie McCorkle at 331-3891.