Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) self-sampling promises to make the process of screening for cervical cancer easier, more comfortable—and, for some, less traumatic—than a traditional Pap test, offering users more control over their reproductive health. That's according to a recent study that found that those who are under-screened for cervical cancer—including sex workers , those who have a history of incarceration or who have experienced sexual violence —benefited from self-sampling kits and found them easy to use. The study, published in Current Oncology , also found that a third of participants had a high-risk strain of HPV following their self-sample.
They were then referred for follow-up testing. "HPV self sample kits are simple to use and convenient—not that much different from an at-home COVID test," says the study's lead author Mandana Vahabi, the women's health research chair at Unity Health Toronto and a professor in the University of Toronto's Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing. "With this method, individuals can test themselves at a time and place that is convenient for them.
They have control in terms of inserting the swab, which provides less discomfort than traditional methods. "And for many different cultural groups, where modesty is valued, self-sampling reduces stigma and embarrassment." In fact, many study participants shared that they had either never had a Pap test, or had chosen not to follow-up on their screening because of the stigma they had f.
