Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone survey
Background: Home-based self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing may be an alternative for women not attending clinic-based cervical cancer screening. Methods: We assessed barriers to care and motivators to use at-home HPV self-sampling kits during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a rando...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2023-05-01
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| Series: | eLife |
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/84664 |
| _version_ | 1797783148124176384 |
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| author | Susan Parker Ashish A Deshmukh Baojiang Chen David R Lairson Maria Daheri Sally W Vernon Jane R Montealegre |
| author_facet | Susan Parker Ashish A Deshmukh Baojiang Chen David R Lairson Maria Daheri Sally W Vernon Jane R Montealegre |
| author_sort | Susan Parker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Home-based self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing may be an alternative for women not attending clinic-based cervical cancer screening.
Methods: We assessed barriers to care and motivators to use at-home HPV self-sampling kits during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating kit effectiveness. Participants were women aged 30–65 and under-screened for cervical cancer in a safety-net healthcare system. We conducted telephone surveys in English/Spanish among a subgroup of trial participants, assessed differences between groups, and determined statistical significance at p<0.05.
Results: Over half of 233 survey participants reported that clinic-based screening (Pap) is uncomfortable (67.8%), embarrassing (52.4%), and discomfort seeing male providers (63.1%). The last two factors were significantly more prevalent among Spanish vs English speakers (66.4% vs 30% (p=0.000) and 69.9 vs 52.2% (p=0.006), respectively). Most women who completed the kit found Pap more embarrassing (69.3%), stressful (55.6%), and less convenient (55.6%) than the kit. The first factor was more prevalent among Spanish vs English speakers (79.6% vs 53.38%, p=0.001) and among patients with elementary education or below.
Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic influenced most (59.5%) to participate in the trial due to fear of COVID, difficulty making appointments, and ease of using kits. HPV self-sampling kits may reduce barriers among under-screened women in a safety-net system.
Funding: This study is supported by a grant from the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparitie s (NIMHD, R01MD013715, PI: JR Montealegre).
Clinical trial number: NCT03898167. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:21:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-18c0fa5838ba4092b5cfef578fcb78a2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:21:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-18c0fa5838ba4092b5cfef578fcb78a22023-07-11T13:28:55ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2023-05-011210.7554/eLife.84664Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone surveySusan Parker0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6722-4717Ashish A Deshmukh1Baojiang Chen2David R Lairson3Maria Daheri4Sally W Vernon5Jane R Montealegre6Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United StatesMedical University of South Carolina, Charleston, United StatesUTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, United StatesUTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, United StatesHarris Health System, Houston, United StatesUTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, United StatesBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, United StatesBackground: Home-based self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing may be an alternative for women not attending clinic-based cervical cancer screening. Methods: We assessed barriers to care and motivators to use at-home HPV self-sampling kits during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating kit effectiveness. Participants were women aged 30–65 and under-screened for cervical cancer in a safety-net healthcare system. We conducted telephone surveys in English/Spanish among a subgroup of trial participants, assessed differences between groups, and determined statistical significance at p<0.05. Results: Over half of 233 survey participants reported that clinic-based screening (Pap) is uncomfortable (67.8%), embarrassing (52.4%), and discomfort seeing male providers (63.1%). The last two factors were significantly more prevalent among Spanish vs English speakers (66.4% vs 30% (p=0.000) and 69.9 vs 52.2% (p=0.006), respectively). Most women who completed the kit found Pap more embarrassing (69.3%), stressful (55.6%), and less convenient (55.6%) than the kit. The first factor was more prevalent among Spanish vs English speakers (79.6% vs 53.38%, p=0.001) and among patients with elementary education or below. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic influenced most (59.5%) to participate in the trial due to fear of COVID, difficulty making appointments, and ease of using kits. HPV self-sampling kits may reduce barriers among under-screened women in a safety-net system. Funding: This study is supported by a grant from the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparitie s (NIMHD, R01MD013715, PI: JR Montealegre). Clinical trial number: NCT03898167.https://elifesciences.org/articles/84664human papillomavirusHPV self-samplingbarriers to care |
| spellingShingle | Susan Parker Ashish A Deshmukh Baojiang Chen David R Lairson Maria Daheri Sally W Vernon Jane R Montealegre Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone survey eLife human papillomavirus HPV self-sampling barriers to care |
| title | Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone survey |
| title_full | Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone survey |
| title_fullStr | Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone survey |
| title_short | Perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a telephone survey |
| title_sort | perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening and motivators for at home human papillomavirus self sampling during the covid 19 pandemic results from a telephone survey |
| topic | human papillomavirus HPV self-sampling barriers to care |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/84664 |
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