Cervical cancer screening doubles when under-screened women are mailed at-home testing kits

Researchers at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that mailing human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection tests and offering assistance to book in-clinic screening appointments to under-screened, low-income women improved cervical cancer screening nearly two-fold compared to scheduling assistance alone. Scheduling assistance primarily consisted of helping to book an appointment for in-person screening at a clinic, regardless of whether an at-home test was offered or returned, or whether the HPV test was negative or positive.