Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States

Background: Vaginal self-collection offers an effective option for cervical cancer (CC) screening that can improve screening experiences and engagement. Objective: This article presents data from a multi-center pilot study (n = 185) across the United States, evaluating experiences and preferences re...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: LaShonda Crane, Ashley Jennings, Megan B. Fitzpatrick, Meghna Mukherjee, Callie Pitchford, Amy Nacht, Nia’Ja Mack, Kristina Krueger, Jessica Favreau, Kristin Conway, Laura Gillis, Christine Conageski, Elizabeth Sutton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mary Ann Liebert 2025-01-01
Series:Women's Health Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2025.0017
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849326538310287360
author LaShonda Crane
Ashley Jennings
Megan B. Fitzpatrick
Meghna Mukherjee
Callie Pitchford
Amy Nacht
Nia’Ja Mack
Kristina Krueger
Jessica Favreau
Kristin Conway
Laura Gillis
Christine Conageski
Elizabeth Sutton
author_facet LaShonda Crane
Ashley Jennings
Megan B. Fitzpatrick
Meghna Mukherjee
Callie Pitchford
Amy Nacht
Nia’Ja Mack
Kristina Krueger
Jessica Favreau
Kristin Conway
Laura Gillis
Christine Conageski
Elizabeth Sutton
author_sort LaShonda Crane
collection DOAJ
description Background: Vaginal self-collection offers an effective option for cervical cancer (CC) screening that can improve screening experiences and engagement. Objective: This article presents data from a multi-center pilot study (n = 185) across the United States, evaluating experiences and preferences reported with an at-home self-collection device compared with clinician-collected screening using a speculum. The device is designed specifically for at-home self-collection and optimized for performance and usability, where collected samples are tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) using the Roche cobas HPV test. In an earlier report, self-collected samples using this device showed high agreement for hrHPV detection when compared with clinician-collection with a speculum and cervical brush. Study Design: Participants were screened with a self-collection device and a clinician-collection. They provided feedback about their experiences via usability and preference surveys. Results: Significantly more participants reported pain (p < 0.001), discomfort (p < 0.001), embarrassment (p < 0.001), and nervousness (p < 0.001) during clinician-collection compared with self-collection. In contrast, being at-ease (p < 0.001) and in-control (p < 0.001) were reported significantly more during self-collection. Similar patterns held across demographic groups relevant to CC screening engagement and related risk (i.e., sexual orientation, menopause status, income, and prior HPV diagnosis). Almost all (94% [156/166]) felt confident using the at-home self-collection device if they knew the results would be equivalent to clinician-collection. The device demonstrated wide usability, with 96% (163/170) successfully self-collecting using only the device’s provided instructions. Conclusion: By improving screening experiences and accessibility, at-home self-collection can increase screening participation and accelerate progress toward eliminating CC as a public health concern in the United States.
format Article
id doaj-art-3b4cbfecb2694e33a8edccdf9ad0d6fb
institution Kabale University
issn 2688-4844
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Mary Ann Liebert
record_format Article
series Women's Health Reports
spelling doaj-art-3b4cbfecb2694e33a8edccdf9ad0d6fb2025-08-20T03:48:07ZengMary Ann LiebertWomen's Health Reports2688-48442025-01-016156457510.1089/whr.2025.0017Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United StatesLaShonda Crane0Ashley Jennings1Megan B. Fitzpatrick2Meghna Mukherjee3Callie Pitchford4Amy Nacht5Nia’Ja Mack6Kristina Krueger7Jessica Favreau8Kristin Conway9Laura Gillis10Christine Conageski11Elizabeth Sutton12Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc, Houston, Texas, USA.University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.Teal Health, Inc, San Francisco, California, USA.Teal Health, Inc, San Francisco, California, USA.Woman’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.Woman’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.Crescendo, MD, Portola Valley, California, USA.Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.NxGen BioStats, LLC, Mount Airy, Maryland, USA.University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.Woman’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.Background: Vaginal self-collection offers an effective option for cervical cancer (CC) screening that can improve screening experiences and engagement. Objective: This article presents data from a multi-center pilot study (n = 185) across the United States, evaluating experiences and preferences reported with an at-home self-collection device compared with clinician-collected screening using a speculum. The device is designed specifically for at-home self-collection and optimized for performance and usability, where collected samples are tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) using the Roche cobas HPV test. In an earlier report, self-collected samples using this device showed high agreement for hrHPV detection when compared with clinician-collection with a speculum and cervical brush. Study Design: Participants were screened with a self-collection device and a clinician-collection. They provided feedback about their experiences via usability and preference surveys. Results: Significantly more participants reported pain (p < 0.001), discomfort (p < 0.001), embarrassment (p < 0.001), and nervousness (p < 0.001) during clinician-collection compared with self-collection. In contrast, being at-ease (p < 0.001) and in-control (p < 0.001) were reported significantly more during self-collection. Similar patterns held across demographic groups relevant to CC screening engagement and related risk (i.e., sexual orientation, menopause status, income, and prior HPV diagnosis). Almost all (94% [156/166]) felt confident using the at-home self-collection device if they knew the results would be equivalent to clinician-collection. The device demonstrated wide usability, with 96% (163/170) successfully self-collecting using only the device’s provided instructions. Conclusion: By improving screening experiences and accessibility, at-home self-collection can increase screening participation and accelerate progress toward eliminating CC as a public health concern in the United States.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2025.0017HPV testcervical cancer screeningat-home self-collectionspeculumexperiencespreferences
spellingShingle LaShonda Crane
Ashley Jennings
Megan B. Fitzpatrick
Meghna Mukherjee
Callie Pitchford
Amy Nacht
Nia’Ja Mack
Kristina Krueger
Jessica Favreau
Kristin Conway
Laura Gillis
Christine Conageski
Elizabeth Sutton
Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States
Women's Health Reports
HPV test
cervical cancer screening
at-home self-collection
speculum
experiences
preferences
title Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States
title_full Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States
title_fullStr Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States
title_full_unstemmed Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States
title_short Experiences and Preferences Reported with an At-Home Self-Collection Device Compared with In-Clinic Speculum-Based Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States
title_sort experiences and preferences reported with an at home self collection device compared with in clinic speculum based cervical cancer screening in the united states
topic HPV test
cervical cancer screening
at-home self-collection
speculum
experiences
preferences
url https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2025.0017
work_keys_str_mv AT lashondacrane experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT ashleyjennings experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT meganbfitzpatrick experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT meghnamukherjee experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT calliepitchford experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT amynacht experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT niajamack experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT kristinakrueger experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT jessicafavreau experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT kristinconway experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT lauragillis experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT christineconageski experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates
AT elizabethsutton experiencesandpreferencesreportedwithanathomeselfcollectiondevicecomparedwithinclinicspeculumbasedcervicalcancerscreeningintheunitedstates