YOUNGER women in Glasgow and those of Chinese origin are least likely to attend their GP for a life-saving smear test, newfigures show.

The most recent data shows uptake for cervical cancer screening was 63% in the 25-29 age group over 2018-2019.

This compares to 73.9% for women over 40 but no age group achieved the target rate of 80% uptake.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer is women under the age of 35.

The figures also show that women from the most deprived areas of the city are least likely to be tested.

Uptake for women aged 25 to 64 in the least deprived areas was 77.4% compared with 69.4% in the most deprived areas.

There was also a large variation in uptake across the different ethnic groups according to figures detailed in the health board’s latest board papers.

Just over 38% of Chinese women eligible a for smear test attended an appointment.

Since 2008, all girls aged 11 to 13 years in their second year of secondary

school are routinely offered vaccinations to protect them against the Human

Papilloma Virus (HPV). However, the vaccine does not protect against all cervical cancers.