Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 704-712

Feasibility of Cervical Cancer Screening Utilizing Self-sample Human Papillomavirus Testing Among Mexican Immigrant Women in Harris County, Texas: A Pilot Study (Article)

Montealegre J.R.* , Mullen P.D. , L. Jibaja-Weiss M. , Vargas Mendez M.M. , Scheurer M.E.
  • a Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, MS: BCM 305, Houston, TX 77030, United States, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
  • b Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • c Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States, School of Allied Health Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
  • d Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
  • e Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, MS: BCM 305, Houston, TX 77030, United States, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States

Abstract

Here we evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of self-sample human papillomavirus (HPV) testing (self-HPV) among a sample of predominantly Mexican immigrant women who never or sporadically attend for Pap testing. Immigrant women who had not had a Pap test in the past 3 years (n = 100) were recruited. Participants self-collected a cervical sample for HPV testing. High-risk (HR) HPV-positive women were referred for clinical follow-up. Acceptability of self-HPV was high, with 99 % reporting that they would be willing to use self-HPV regularly. Nineteen women (19 %) tested positive for HR–HPV. Of these, 50 % obtained clinical follow-up within 3 months. For those who did not, the primary barrier to follow-up was difficulty obtaining healthcare coverage. In conclusion, self-HPV is highly acceptable to Mexican immigrant women who otherwise do not attend for Pap testing. While the approach addresses critical barriers to primary screening, questions remain as to whether uninsured HR–HPV positive women are able to attend for clinical follow-up. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Cervical cancer Screening immigrants Human papillomavirus Self-testing Hispanics/Latinos

Index Keywords

human epidemiology early cancer diagnosis Early Detection of Cancer Feasibility Studies Humans migrant virology Emigrants and Immigrants female pilot study Mexican American isolation and purification feasibility study adult Papillomavirus Infections Papillomaviridae Uterine Cervical Neoplasms Specimen Handling Mexican Americans Self Care Pilot Projects Texas
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84930205213&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-014-0125-5&partnerID=40&md5=3b326733bebbd85398cf3e8680d43427
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0125-5
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 8
Original Language: English