Efficacy of self-sampling in promoting participation to cervical cancer screening also in subsequent round

Abstract

Offering self-sampling devices improves participation of under-screened women. We evaluated participation in routine screening following the self-sampling intervention in two organized population-based screening programmes located in North-East Italy.Data on participation at 3-years-interval after a randomized clinical trial assessing the response to two strategies offering self-samplers (sent at home or offered free at local pharmacy) with a control action (sending reminders for a cervical specimen taken at the clinic) in 30–64 yr-old women non-respondent to the regular call-recall invitation were analyzed.Up to April 2016, 2300 women out of the 2995 recruited in the trial in 2011 were re-invited to perform a screening test at clinic; overall, 698 women adhered. Participation was similar in the three arms (29–32%), and highest (47–68%) among those who participated in the previous round. Over the two rounds, 44.6%, 32.3% and 30.3% women had at least one test in the self-sampling at home, self-sampling at pharmacy and test at the clinic arms, respectively.Our data indicate that the beneficial effect of offering self-sampling devices to nonparticipating women is maintained over time. Self-samplers are useful to increase overall coverage; their sporadic use does not seem to increase the proportion of women regularly repeating the test.

The Impact of Video-Based Educational Interventions on Cervical Cancer, Pap Smear and HPV Vaccines

“…The results of the current study indicate that higher self-efficacy was observed within participants who were enlightened about cervical cancer screening. This result is in line with the results of an interventional study performed by Del Mistro et al where the level of self-efficacy within the interventional arm increased significantly in comparison to the control arm ( 56 ). Women with improved self-efficacy are more likely to engage in appropriate health-related behaviours because these class of women might have their knowledge status being influenced due to their exposure to some information.…”

Impact of health education intervention on knowledge and perception of cervical cancer and screening for women in Ghana

“…The findings of the present study suggest that women who were educated on cervical cancer and screening had higher self-efficacy. This finding is consistent with the findings of an intervention study conducted in Turkey in which levels of self-efficacy greatly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group [28]. Women with increased self-efficacy may have a higher tendency of engaging in health appropriate behaviours, since they may have been exposed to some information that may have influenced their knowledge status.…”

Self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Given that cervical cancer screening is recommended at relatively infrequent intervals, often up to 5 years, it is understandable that studies generally did not assess this longer term outcome. One follow-up study to an included RCT found that, on regular invitation to subsequent clinic-based cervical cancer screening 3 years after invitation to an HPV self-sampling trial, there was no statistically significant difference in participation rate (approximately 30% in all arms) comparing those randomised to HPV self-sampling with HPV testing in clinic, whether prior self-sampling was conducted at home (RR: 1.05, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.22) or at a pharmacy (RR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.22) 56. However, although the initial RCT compared self-sampling (sent kit home or offered free at local pharmacy) with standard population-based screening (sent reminder for cervical specimen taken at clinic), all women at the 3-year follow-up timepoint were reinvited for clinic-based HPV screening.…”