Cited by 222Cervical Cancer and HPV ResearchWomen's cancer prevention and managementReproductive tract infections research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 99 of the 99 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 26 of the 39 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening: a systematic review of values and preferences

Open access

Abstract

Introduction: The WHO recommends human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical self-sampling as an additional screening method and HPV DNA testing as an effective approach for the early detection of cervical cancer for women aged ≥30 years. This systematic review assesses end user’s values and preferences related to HPV self-sampling. Methods: We searched four electronic databases (PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature and Embase) using search terms for HPV and self-sampling to identify articles meeting inclusion criteria. A standardised data extraction form was used to capture study setting, population, sample size and results related to values and preferences. Results: Of 1858 records retrieved, 72 studies among 52 114 participants published between 2002 and 2018 were included in this review. Almost all studies were cross-sectional surveys. Study populations included end users who were mainly adolescent girls and adult women. Ages ranged from 14 to 80 years. Most studies (57%) were conducted in high-income countries. Women generally found HPV self-sampling highly acceptable regardless of age, income or country of residence. Lack of self-confidence with collecting a reliable sample was the most commonly cited reason for preferring clinician-collected samples. Most women preferred home-based self-sampling to self-sampling at a clinic. The cervical swab was the most common and most accepted HPV DNA sampling device. Conclusions: HPV self-sampling is generally a highly accepted method of cervical cancer screening for end users globally. End user preferences for self-sampling device, method and setting can inform the development of new and expanded interventions to increase HPV screening.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This systematic review synthesizes 72 studies among 52,114 participants on end users’ values and preferences for HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening. It finds HPV self-sampling is generally highly acceptable globally, with most women preferring self-sampling over clinician sampling, though confidence in sample accuracy and access to a provider remain concerns.

Key findings

  • Across 72 studies among 52,114 participants published between 2002 and 2018, with ages ranging from 14 to 80 years, HPV self-sampling was generally highly acceptable regardless of age, income or country of residence; 57% of participants were from high-income countries.
  • Most end users preferred self-sampling over clinician sampling, citing less pain or physical discomfort, ease of use, convenience, privacy, and less embarrassment or anxiety; lack of self-confidence in collecting a reliable sample was the most commonly cited reason for preferring clinician-collected samples.
  • Most women preferred home-based self-sampling to self-sampling at a clinic; the cervical swab was the most common and most accepted HPV DNA sampling device.
  • Device preference varied: in rural Gambian women, acceptability was over 70% for all methods but preference was cervical swab 97.1%, tampon 84.4%, and clinician cervical brush 72.4%; among HIV-positive South African women, 51% preferred the cervical brush, 31% the tampon, and 18% the lavage sampler. For urine self-sampling, 95% of Micronesian women were comfortable with the urine test versus 82% for Pap smear, but more preferred clinician Pap smear (44.2%) over self-sampling (38.8%).

Methods

  • Systematic review conducted according to PRISMA; searched PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, and Embase through 19 October 2018, plus hand-searching and secondary searching; included qualitative and quantitative studies of cervicovaginal or urine HPV self-sampling that measured acceptability or setting preference.
  • Included 72 unique studies with 52,114 participants; two reviewers independently extracted data using a standardised form, resolved differences through consensus, and stratified findings by age, location, self-sampling device, setting, and subpopulation; quality was assessed with a matrix modified from the Evidence Project risk of bias tool and CASP checklist.

Limitations

  • Stated: conference abstracts and grey literature were excluded, so findings may not fully represent the literature; diversity of measures used to assess values and preferences made comparisons across studies difficult.
  • Stated in quality assessment: common issues were sampling/selection bias (27 articles), lack of validation of survey measures, and lack of transferability (32 articles); only 3 of 72 studies were conducted in low-income countries.
  • Evident from the text: almost all studies were cross-sectional surveys, and 57% of participants were from high-income countries, limiting generalisability to low-resource settings and causal inference.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003743

Cites

99 of 99 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Figures

Figure 1 PRISMA flow diagram of the different phases of a systematic review. PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.
Figure 1 PRISMA flow diagram of the different phases of a systematic review. PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.CC BY · PubMed Central

Verification

Claims the paper makes

32 Not checked yet · 24 Own result · 16 Supported · 16 No basis given · 8 Partly supported · 4 Sources not found · 4 Own method · 4 Own interpretation · 3 No full text of the sources · 2 Not supported · accuracy not yet measured

Show all 60 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 32
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 28
53 of 53
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    WHO recommends HPV cervical self-sampling as an additional screening method.

    “The WHO recommends human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical self-sampling as an additional screening method”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    HPV testing must be acceptable to end users, in particular those who are underscreened and most vulnerable to cervical cancer, for screening programmes to succeed.

    “Understanding end users’ values and preferences related to self-sampling is critical because HPV testing must be acceptable to end users, in particular those who are underscreened and most vulnerable to cervical cancer.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Understanding women’s preferences for HPV self-sampling is a critical factor for expanding choice, coverage and uptake of cervical cancer screening.

    “Understanding women’s preferences for HPV self-sampling is a critical factor for expanding choice, coverage and uptake of cervical cancer screening.”
3 of 3

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

5 of 5

Citations

Cites

Show all 98 references

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Giorgi Rossi, 2013, Hpv self-sampling, Int J Gynecol Cancer, 23, 43

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Items 201–222 of 222

Metadata

Authors
Nishimura, H., Yeh, P. T., Oguntade, H., Kennedy, C. E., & Narasimhan, M.
Affiliations
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
  • World Health Organization (CH)
Corresponding author
Nishimura, Holly
Venue
BMJ Global Health
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2021-05
Volume
6
Issue
5
Pages
e003743
ISSN
2059-7908 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3163098986
Cited by
222
References
98
Citations by year
2026: 53 · 2025: 57 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 10
FWCI
5.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMJ Global Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • World Health Organization
  • The Children's Investment Fund Foundation
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Women's cancer prevention and management
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Reproductive tract infections research
Keywords
HPV self-sampling, cervical cancer screening, HPV testing, end-user preferences, acceptability, cervical swabs, clinician-collected samples, home-based screening, women's health
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Uterine Cervical Neoplasms, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Self Care, Papillomaviridae, Papillomavirus Infections, Alphapapillomavirus, Early Detection of Cancer, Young Adult

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