ASPO Abstracts

Acceptability of mailed HPV self-testing kits among patients of a large urban safety-net healthcare system

Authors: Parker SL, Daheri M , Benavides E, Kasbaum M, Escobar B, Chiao EY, Schmeler K , Anderson ML, Deshmukh A, Hilsenbeck SG, Jibaja-Weiss ML, Bulsara S, Zare M , Scheurer ME , Montealegre JR

Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2022

Abstract Body:
BackgroundAt-home self-sample HPV testing kits have been demonstrated to increase cervical cancer screening among underscreened women. To our knowledge, the acceptability of HPV self-test kits has not been assessed by group among patients of a large urban safety net health system that provides services to predominantly racial/ethnic minority, medically underserved populations. We aimed to describe and compare acceptability of mailed HPV self-test kits between groups among underscreened women in a large urban safety net health care system.MethodsWe assessed the acceptability of mailed HPV self-test kits as part of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness the kits. Participants are women, ages 30-65 years in an urban safety net healthcare system who are underscreened for cervical cancer. We conducted a telephone survey in English and Spanish among a subgroup of trial participants who were randomized to receive the at-home HPV self-test kits. We performed chi square tests to assess differences between groups. Significance was determined at p<0.05.ResultsAmong the 123 women who have completed the survey to date, the majority are Hispanic (70.7%) and Black or African American (20.3%). Among the women who reported using the kit, 87.7% said the kit was easy to use. Most women who used the kit (88.9%) reported that the kit was just as or more convenient than getting a Pap and 96.3% would be somewhat or very willing to use a self-sampling kit again. There were no significant differences in reported ease of use, convenience or willingness to use again between ethnic groups, language spoken (Spanish or English), insurance coverage or education level. ConclusionOur survey suggests high acceptability of mailed HPV self-test kits among diverse groups of women in an urban safety-net healthcare system.

Keywords: HPV self-test, safety net health care system