Primary HPV testing recommendations of US providers, 2015

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Oncology
• Public Health

Background:

• Cervical cancer screening guidelines recommend specific age criteria for primary HPV testing.
• Physician adherence to these guidelines is crucial for effective screening strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the HPV testing recommendations of US physicians performing cervical cancer screening.
• To identify provider characteristics associated with recommending primary HPV testing.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 2015 DocStyles survey data from 843 US primary care physicians and obstetrician-gynecologists.
• Multivariate logistic regression used to identify factors influencing primary HPV testing recommendations.

Main Results:

• 40.8% of physicians recommended primary HPV testing for average-risk women aged ≥30.
• 90.1% of those recommending primary HPV testing did so for all ages.
• Physicians considering patient HPV vaccination status were nearly 4x more likely to recommend primary HPV testing.

Conclusions:

• A significant number of US physicians recommend primary HPV testing broadly, deviating from current guidelines.
• Patient HPV vaccination status is a key factor influencing physician recommendations for primary HPV testing.