As a community-based researcher, Ive spent countless hours speaking with women in the Mississippi Delta about their experiences with healthcare, their knowledge of cervical cancer prevention, and the barriers they face in accessing care. These conversations have reinforced what we already knowBlack women in Mississippi are dying from preventable diseases, not because solutions dont exist, but because those solutions are not reaching them. The Southern Rural Black Womens Initiative (SRBWI), in collaboration with Human Rights Watch, recently released a report highlighting these inequities. But while we work to increase awareness, figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continue to spread dangerous misinformation about the HPV vaccine, undermining efforts to protect our communities. Mississippis HPV Crisis
Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable through vaccination and regular screenings. However, Mississippi ranks last in the United States for HPV vaccination rates, with only 38% of adolescents ages 13 to 17 receiving the full recommended doses by 2023. This low rate, combined with high rates of HPV-related cancers, places women and girls in the Delta at extreme risk. SRBWIs research found that fewer than half of the women interviewed were aware of the HPV vaccine and its role in preventing cancer. Even among parents, many had not been informed about the vaccine, leaving their children unprotected against a virus that causes nearly all cervical cancer cases.
One of the most memorable interviews I conducted was with Rachel A., a 37-year-old mother of three living in Washington County. Rachel told me she had never heard of the HPV vaccine, and no doctor or healthcare provider had ever offered it to her or her children. Her story is far from unique. Without supportive state policies to ensure universal access to information and education on HPV and the vaccine, knowledge remains low, and many Mississippians are missing out on critical opportunities to protect themselves from HPV-related cancers.
Misinformation and Stereotypes: The Barriers to Care
Mississippis failure to mandate comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education deprives young people of essential knowledge about their bodies, leaving many without a clear understanding of how HPV spreads and how it can be prevented. The lack of accurate information has allowed misinformation, fear, and stigma to thrive.
This stigma is something Ive seen in my work beyond HPV advocacy. As someone who also works with organizations that support people living with HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQIA community, Ive witnessed firsthand how dangerous stereotypes and misinformation prevent people from seeking care. Just as Black women are too often dismissed by healthcare providers or made to feel ashamed when they ask questions about sexual health, people living with HIV/AIDS and LGBTQIA individuals face judgment, erasure, and a lack of culturally competent care. In both cases, stigma becomes a barrier, keeping people from accessing the preventative care and treatment that could save their lives.
RFK Jr.s Dangerous Misinformation
While Mississippi struggles to increase HPV vaccination rates, public figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are actively working against efforts to protect public health. Kennedy, a long-time opponent of vaccines, has promoted baseless conspiracy theories about the HPV vaccine, falsely claiming it is unsafe and unnecessary. His statements contradict decades of research proving that the HPV vaccine is one of the safest and most effective tools for preventing cervical and other HPV-related cancers.
Kennedys rhetoric fuels the same climate of fear and distrust that Ive seen as a barrier in both HPV and HIV/AIDS advocacy. It discourages parents from vaccinating their children, leading to unnecessary suffering and death from preventable diseases. And it gives policymakers who are already hesitant to invest in public health an excuse to do even less.
The Need for Policy Reform
The state of Mississippi has done little to combat these issues. Unlike other states that have implemented comprehensive vaccine awareness programs, Mississippi lacks strong public health campaigns to promote HPV vaccination. Additionally, there is no state policy requiring schools to educate students on HPV and its link to cervical cancer. The consequences of these failures are clear: preventable deaths continue to rise while misinformation spreads unchecked.
SRBWI and Human Rights Watch have outlined key policy recommendations to address these failures, including: - Passing legislation that mandates schools provide education on HPV and the HPV vaccine starting in sixth grade. - Ensuring parents of students entering sixth grade receive information about recommended adolescent vaccines, including HPV. - Allocating state funding to community-based organizations to conduct outreach and awareness campaigns on cervical cancer prevention. - Expanding Medicaid to improve access to screenings, vaccinations, and follow-up care for low-income individuals. - Increasing targeted outreach to healthcare providers to encourage stronger recommendations for the HPV vaccine.
The Cost of Inaction
Ignoring these disparities not only costs lives but also places a significant financial burden on Mississippis healthcare system. The state already leads the country in amputation rates due to untreated diabetesa crisis that could be mitigated with better access to preventative healthcare. Similarly, failing to increase HPV vaccination rates will lead to more late-stage cervical cancer diagnoses, which require costly and invasive treatments. Investing in prevention now will save lives and reduce long-term healthcare costs.
A Call to Action
Ensuring access to the HPV vaccine is not just a public health necessityit is a human rights issue. Every individual has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, yet Mississippi continues to fall short of this obligation. The state must take immediate steps to dismantle barriers to cervical cancer prevention, starting with stronger education initiatives, improved healthcare access, and aggressive countering of vaccine misinformation.
At the same time, public figures like RFK Jr. must be held accountable for spreading dangerous falsehoods. Misinformation about the HPV vaccine threatens real progress in Mississippi and beyond. The fight against cervical cancer depends on accurate, science-based information reaching the people who need it most.
As a community researcher, I know that women like Rachel A. want to protect their children. They want to make informed choices. But they cannot do that if they are kept in the darkwhether by a healthcare system that fails to educate them or by public figures who exploit fear for political gain. We owe it to them to fight back with the truth, with policy changes, and with a commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight against cervical cancer. The time for action is now.
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Abria Mobley is a resident of Metcalfe, Mississippi, in Washington County. As a Project Coordinator for Community Health-PIER, she leads initiatives on healthy food access, community gardening, and health outreach. Community Health-PIER advances HIV prevention, agriculture, wellness, and advocacy to build stronger, healthier communities. In addition to her community health work, Abria is a Community-Based Researcher with SRBWI and Human Rights Watch, studying cervical cancer disparities in the Mississippi Delta. Committed to grassroots health initiatives, she empowers residents with the knowledge and resources to make informed health decisions and improve community well-being.
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