Abstract
Background. In recent years, cervical cancer screening among Black women in the United States has declined, followed by increased incidence and mortality. We aim to evaluate the individual, sociocultural, and structural barriers to cervical cancer screening in relationship to the exam technique barriers.
Methods. Participants received cervical cancer self-screening kits in the mail. They returned their samples and a quantitative survey developed from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) modules designed to address the known individual, sociocultural, and structural barriers to screening. We established the fourteen attributes of cervical cancer screening techniques from prior work. Participants then shared their experiences in a semi-structured qualitative interview informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to explore the answers to the survey questions. We coded themes from the interviews. Women were grouped as younger (30-45 years) and older (46-65 years).
Results. Of the 41 women completing the study, 21 were in the younger age group (mean 37.3, SD 4.7), and 20 were in the older age group (56.5 (5.5)). All participants self-identified as African American/Black and were due for cervical cancer screening. Women indicated that individual, sociocultural, and structural barriers influenced their cervical cancer screening, but the most significant barrier was the speculum-based technique itself. Three positive attributes and eight negative attributes significantly differed by screening technique, favoring the self-screening technique.
Conclusions. The self-screening technique for screening for cervical cancer is feasible and acceptable to this group of Black women.