Authors:

Yashaswini Meduri

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Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes 99.7% of cervical cancer cases. HPV tests are the most sensitive screening method to detect cervical cancer. Despite this, women living in high social vulnerability areas (poverty), black women, and women with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are less likely to be screened for cervical cancer. They are also more likely to be diagnosed at later stages and die from cervical cancer. Furthermore, black women have a higher rate of T2D diagnosis compared to other racial groups. HPV self-sampling has been shown to increase screening rates by decreasing cervical cancer screening barriers among under-screened women. However, there is a gap in the literature in identifying the acceptability of HPV self-sampling among black women with T2D living in poverty. Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 black women with T2D living in communities with high social vulnerability. The Health Belief Model informed the development of the interview guide to gather data on the acceptability of HPV self-collection. Results: Three main themes aligned with the Health Belief Model: (1) HPV self-collection provides a comfortable alternative to in-clinic HPV testing (perceived benefits); (2) HPV self-collection would result in awareness of current HPV status (health motivation); and (3) Women were concerned about collecting their sample accurately (perceived barriers). Conclusion: Black women with T2D living in communities with high social vulnerability identified multiple benefits of cervical cancer screening through HPV self-collection. However, women are also concerned about their ability to collect their samples correctly. Our findings call for future studies focusing on improving knowledge and sample collection skills for HPV self-collection among black women with T2D residing in underserved communities with high social vulnerability. Acceptability of HPV Take Home Screening: A Qualitative Study

Source:

University of Florida / Yashaswini Meduri and Rahma Mkuu / 2023

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Co-authors:

Yashaswini Meduri