HPV Self-Sampling for Cervical Cancer Screening among Women Seeking Health Care at a Safety Net Hospital Emergency Room
This clinical trial evaluates the use of self-collected cervical swab for cervical cancer screening among women who visit the emergency room (ER) and learn about their experiences with the self-testing process. Cervical cancer is a cancer that occurs in the cells lining the cervix the lower part of the uterus (womb) that connects to the vagina. Cervical cancer usually develops slowly over time and starts with initial abnormal changes to the cells of the cervix and if not removed or destroyed, the abnormal cells become cancer cells. The main cause of cervical cancer is infection with specific types of human papilloma virus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted virus. All women are at risk for cervical cancer especially women ages 30 years or older. Regular HPV screening tests can help detect cancer-causing HPV infection and offer opportunities to prevent cervical cancer. However, there are many obstacles that make it difficult for some women to get screened regularly, including cost, lack of health insurance, and lack of time. Collecting information as well as collecting HPV self-samples may help doctors learn the best way to improve cervical cancer screening among women seeking health care at a safety net hospital ER.