Portugal stands out negatively, with higher levels of stigma and workplace barriers compared to other countries.

In response to these challenges, nearly one in four women says they would like greater work flexibility.

The study by Roche also reveals that around 25 percent of women in Portugal have postponed, cancelled, or thought about changing a cervical cancer screening appointment. Among those women, 53 percent cited professional reasons as the main factor. The data come from the Cervical Cancer Europe Study 2025, an initiative by Roche Diagnostics, conducted by GWI across six European countries, including Portugal.

In response to these findings, the initiative “Cervical Cancer: Together We Are Capable” has been launched to raise awareness about the importance of screening and early diagnosis.

“Eliminating cervical cancer is possible, but only through collective action,” says Roel Meeusen, General Manager of Roche Diagnostics in Portugal. “We are committed to contributing to this goal. This initiative is a step in that direction, aiming to raise awareness of the need to reduce barriers to access, normalise conversations around health and cervical cancer screening, and encourage more eligible people to take part in their routine check-ups.”

The Cervical Cancer Europe Study 2025 reveals that, in Portugal, in addition to well-known challenges that hinder access to cervical cancer screening (essential for the detection of HPV, responsible for more than 99 percent of cases of the disease¹), such as fear (a reason for postponement for 24 percent of respondents) and forgetfulness (17 percent), an additional difficulty arises: the logistics of busy lives and professional demands.

The study surveyed 5,518 internet users aged 16 to 64 across six countries — Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain — including 880 respondents in Portugal. The results show that, among Portuguese women who postponed their cervical cancer screening appointments, 28 percent cited professional commitments as the main reason, a figure higher than the average across the other countries surveyed.

A heavy workload further highlights the need for greater workplace flexibility. Among women who delayed their screening in Portugal, 76 percent work full-time and 28 percent report feeling overworked. Overall, 23 percent of women surveyed say that increased work flexibility would make it easier to attend screening appointments.

Other measures that could improve attendance include a simpler, more convenient appointment-booking process (33 percent), better communication from healthcare professionals (32 percent), and alternative screening options, such as vaginal self-collection for screening tests (25 percent).

Although stigma is a relatively minor barrier overall, it remains more prevalent in Portugal than in other countries. In total, 9 percent of women in Portugal say they have postponed, cancelled, or considered changing a screening appointment due to stigma, compared to 7 percent in Spain and just 2 percent in the Netherlands and Italy.

Male support also plays an important role. In Portugal, men show a strong willingness to support their partners, closely mirroring attitudes in Spain: 31 percent offered to accompany their partner to the appointment, and another 31 percent provided practical support.

Caregiving responsibilities add another layer of complexity, particularly for parents. Across the six countries surveyed, 27 percent of mothers reported postponing or cancelling cervical cancer screening appointments because family responsibilities took priority over their own health.

Globally, cervical cancer affects more than 600,000 women every year. However, in almost all cases, the disease is preventable through vaccination, early detection, and the treatment of precancerous lesions.