Self-collection cervical screening in the renewed National Cervical Screening Program: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Gynecologic Oncology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The renewed National Cervical Screening Program (rNCSP) introduced a self-collection pathway for cervical screening.
• Understanding participant and practitioner perspectives is crucial for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and acceptability of the self-collection cervical screening pathway.
• To assess the experiences of screening participants and primary care practitioners.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews.
• 45 screening participants and 18 primary care practitioners in Victoria were interviewed.
• Data collected during the first 17 months of the rNCSP (December 2017 - April 2019).

Main Results:

• The self-collection pathway demonstrated high acceptability among most participants and practitioners.
• Some participants would not have screened without this alternative pathway.
• Lower acceptability was noted for HPV-positive results requiring further clinician-collected samples.
• Practitioner-driven use and varied guideline interpretations were observed.
• Barriers included difficulties identifying eligible participants.

Conclusions:

• Expanding self-collection access can reduce cervical cancer outcome inequities for under- and never-screened women.
• Practitioners require resources for integrating self-collection into routine practice.
• Optimizing the pathway's implementation can maximize its use and improve participant experience.