Self-collection for HPV testing among emergency department patients: A prospective, interventional, single-arm, feasibility study.

BACKGROUND

HPV testing is an effective method of cervical cancer screening (CCS) for eligible individuals. Self-collection of specimens for HPV testing on-site at a healthcare facility received FDA approval in 2024 and has been shown to increase participation in CCS among under-screened populations.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the feasibility and rate of participation with HPV self-collection for CCS among eligible emergency department (ED) patients.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, interventional, single-arm trial of participants enrolled from an urban, academic ED (N = 200). Eligible participants were age 25-65 and in need of CCS based on American Cancer Society recommendations. Participants were offered the opportunity to self-collect for HPV testing during their ED visit. The primary outcome was participation in CCS via successful in-ED self-collection for HPV testing.

RESULTS

Among the 200 ED patients included, 83% agreed to participate in HPV self-collection and 78.5% completed HPV self-collection. Less than 2% of self-collected specimens were deemed by the laboratory to be inadequate for testing. A total of 15.9% of HPV tests were positive for one or more high-risk HPV genotypes.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that ED-based HPV self-collection is operationally feasible and highly acceptable among ED patients in need of CCS. Nearly all self-collected specimens were adequate for laboratory processing.