Cultural Acceptability and Feasibility of HPV Cervical Self Collection Aided by Lay Navigators

Invasive cervical cancer incidence and mortality can be dramatically reduced through early detection and treatment, but many women do not complete screening at recommended intervals. Many low-income women in Virginia remain uninsured and are at significant risk of being medically underserved and failing to complete regular cervical cancer screening. At-home self-collection of specimens for HPV testing is an innovative approach that may increase access to cervical cancer screening in populations that do not participate in traditional clinic-based screening. The proposed community based participatory study aims to determine whether offering at-home self-collection for HPV testing through a lay navigator network is an acceptable and feasible method to increase access to cervical cancer screening for under-screened women in the Tobacco Footprint in rural far Southwest Virginia (Health Districts 1, 2 and 3). The procedures will be recruitment of under-screened women in Health Districts 1, 2 and 3 of Southwest Virginia to complete HPV testing using self-collection kits distributed by lay navigators. Regardless of HPV positivity, all women will be provided with information about cervical cancer screening (locations, cost, etc.), and will be encouraged to complete Pap screening by a clinician.