Streamlined Self-Collection Screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections and Human Papillomavirus

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doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.51345

Importance

Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection increases cervical cancer screening uptake among women underscreened for cervical cancer, particularly those from marginalized low-income and racial and ethnic backgrounds. Underscreened women are also at high risk for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that can be similarly screened via self-collection.

Objective

To evaluate an intervention streamlining testing for other STIs alongside HPV self-collected samples among low-income women.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This is a secondary analysis of the My Body, My Test–3 study, a randomized clinical trial testing a mailed self-collection intervention to improve cervical cancer screening. The My Body, My Test–3 study was conducted from April 2016 to December 2019 in 22 counties in North Carolina among low-income women overdue for cervical cancer screening. This analysis included participants randomized to the trial intervention group with valid STI and HPV results. Data analysis occurred from October 2024 to February 2025.

Intervention

The intervention included a mailed self-collection kit and instructions to self-collect a cervicovaginal sample. Samples were tested for other STIs and HPV using the Aptima assay.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was a positive test result for other STIs (including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis). A risk factor analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with testing positive for other STIs. Secondary outcomes included rate of follow-up care and perceptions of self-collection among participants with positive STI results.

Results

Among 327 participants (median [IQR] age, 42 [25-63] years; 38 [8.6%] Hispanic, 146 [44.7%] non-Hispanic Black, and 133 [40.7%] non-Hispanic White), 51 (15.6%) tested positive for other STIs and 51 (15.6%) tested positive for HPV; 7 (2.1%) tested positive for both. Risk factors for other STIs included non-Hispanic Black race and ethnicity compared with non-Hispanic White race and ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.1; 95% CI, 1.5-11.6), having 2 or more sexual partners in the last year compared with having none (aOR, 5.7; 95% CI, 1.0-31.4), single marital status compared with married or partnered status (aOR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.1-27.9), and current smoking compared with none (aOR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.7-10.4). Among participants who tested positive for other STIs, 34 (66.7%) received follow-up care. Most participants (130 [84.4%]) preferred testing for both HPV and other STIs in the future.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial of 327 participants, nearly 1 in 6 tested positive for other STIs via streamlined testing in a mailed HPV self-collection intervention. Self-collection may improve both cervical cancer and STI screening for women from marginalized backgrounds.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02651883