Itunu O. Sokale

Group concept mapping to develop a salon-based HPV self-collection intervention

Abstract Background Black women in the US face higher cervical cancer mortality rates due to delayed diagnoses linked to lower screening rates. Contributing factors include provider bias, costs, and limited access, particularly affecting women aged 40–64. While innovative approaches like clinical and home-based HPV self-collection exist, equitable dissemination remains challenging. Distributing HPV self-collection kits in unconventional sites like hair salons may offer a solution. Using concept mapping, we gathered community insights to design a salon-based cervical cancer screening intervention. Methods We employed groupwisdom™ and REDCap platforms for community-based participatory intervention development. Participants included members of the Black Community Advisory Council of Tucson (Black CACTus), comprising hairstylists ( n  = 3), salon clients ( n  = 4), and healthcare providers( n  = 3), all identifying as Black women aged 23–53. Concept mapping included: 1) Brainstorming statements, 2) Sorting statements into thematic clusters, 3) Rating importance and feasibility, 4) Reviewing the cluster map, and 5) Evaluating a draft intervention. Results Brainstorming produced 39 statements, forming six clusters: 1) Program Promotion, 2) Insurance, Cost & Benefits, 3) Communication Considerations, 4) Information and Education, 5) Overall Logistics and Process, and 6) Sample Collection. Communication Considerations and Sample Collection were rated most important, with Communication Considerations also ranking highest for feasibility. Communication Considerations, Information and Education, and Sample Collection were the highest rated when importance and feasibility were considered together. Conclusions Engaging community perspectives is essential for adapting cancer screening from clinical settings to community spaces like hair salons. This collaborative concept mapping approach identified strategies to enhance cervical cancer screening access and uptake among Black women.

Self-Collection for Primary HPV Testing: Acceptability in a Large Urban Emergency Department.

Overdue cervical cancer screening increases the risk of invasive cervical cancer. It is important to identify settings where self-collection for primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing can be implemented to have high effect on cervical cancer screening among hard-to-reach women with overdue screening. Herein, we examined the acceptability of HPV self-collection, including completion rates, attitudes, and experiences among women seeking noncritical care at a high-volume urban safety-net hospital emergency department (ED) in Houston, Texas, United States. In this single-arm intervention pilot study, we recruited women overdue for cervical cancer screening in the waiting areas of a safety-net hospital ED, seeking noncritical care from November 2023 to April 2024. Participants completed a preintervention survey and were offered an HPV self-collection kit. A postintervention survey followed immediately after HPV self-collection. Nearly 30% (119 of 401) screened for eligibility were overdue for cervical cancer screening. Of these, 93% were enrolled and were predominantly Hispanic, non-US born, and uninsured, with a median age of 45 years (IQR: 37 to 53). HPV self-collection completion rate was 90% (95% CI 82.9% to 94.9%). More than a quarter (27%) of these women had never been screened, and 14% had a screening >10 years prior. Most women who completed the HPV self-collection had positive attitudes and experiences and reported that the kit was easy to use (97%) and would be very willing to use HPV self-collection for regular screening (88%). HPV self-collection for primary cervical cancer screening during noncritical ED visits is possible and highly acceptable among women overdue for cervical cancer screening.