Are you interested in improving women’s healthcare? Do you wish there were easier ways to get screened for cancer? Hamilton Community Health Network is teaming up with Michigan Medicine to learn more about what women think about new home-based cervical cancer screening tools. Cervical cancer is a very preventable and treatable disease. However, largely due to inadequate screening, cervical cancer remains the third most common cancer in the world for women.
Traditionally, getting screened for cervical cancer has involved getting a Pap smear, which is a test done by a healthcare provider through a speculum exam. However, for a variety of reasons, many people do not make it in to see their doctor or are not comfortable with this kind of pelvic exam and therefore do not get screened. However, there is another way to screen for cervical cancer for those 30-65 years that does not require a Pap smear. Rather than looking for early signs of cancer from a sample of cells taken from the cervix, this new method looks for the presence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer.
Because many patients can now be screened for cervical cancer with an HPV test rather than a Pap smear, new screening methods are possible. This includes both self-screening and home-based screening options where you could collect a urine or vaginal sample yourself at home and then send it through the mail for testing.
We want to know what women think about this new home-based approach to cervical cancer screening and whether or not it could help make it more accessible and acceptable to those currently not being screened. We are looking for women to use different HPV self-sampling kits at home and then tell us what they think over the phone about their experiences and preferences using the kits. Participants will receive the results of their home screening tests as well as $50 compensation for their feedback.
You are eligible to participate if you are:
- 30-65 years old
- Have a cervix (no hysterectomy)
- Have NOT been screened for cervical cancer (no Pap or HPV test) within the past 3 years
- Identify as black or African American
To learn more about participating please contact us by phone or email:
(734) 277-9808
FAMMED-MISSH@MED.UMICH.EDU
