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Elderly women's experiences of self-sampling for HPV testing
Ruth S Hermansson1,2, Matts Olovsson3, Catharina Gustavsson4,5,6
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. ruth.hermansson@kbh.uu.se.
BMC Cancer
|May 28, 2020
Summary
Older women find self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing highly acceptable and preferable to clinic visits. This method is a well-accepted tool for cervical cancer prevention in this demographic.
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- Public Health
- Oncology
Background:
- Conventional speculum-based sampling for HPV testing is standard but can be less acceptable to women.
- Self-sampling offers a viable, acceptable alternative for HPV detection and cervical cancer screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the experiences and preferences of older women (aged 60-75) regarding self-sampling for HPV testing.
- To understand the acceptability and perceived benefits of self-sampling compared to traditional methods in this age group.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study utilizing quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interviews) methods was conducted in Sweden.
- Data collected from 868 women via survey and in-depth interviews with 13 women who tested positive for HPV.
Main Results:
- 97.2% of eligible women participated in the survey.
- A significant majority (49.2% very easy, 46.8% easy) found self-sampling easy to perform.
- Most women (58.9%) preferred self-sampling due to ease, reduced embarrassment, and time efficiency compared to clinic visits.
Conclusions:
- Vaginal self-sampling for HPV testing is a well-accepted and preferred method for cervical cancer prevention among older women.
- This approach enhances screening participation and may improve early detection and treatment of cervical cancer in this population.
