The scientific objective of the proposed research is to study whether an in-home programmatic HPV screening outreach strategy improves cervical cancer screening initiation and uptake. Identifying new, patient-centered options that motivate continued screening initiation and uptake is essential now and in the future.~In August 2018, the US Preventive Services Task Force released updated cervical cancer screening guidelines that include human papillomavirus (HPV) testing alone (ie, primary HPV screening) as a newly recommended strategy for women aged 30-65 years. With primary HPV screening, home-based screening is an emerging option, because HPV tests (unlike Pap tests) can be performed on clinician- or self-collected samples. Self-collected samples are as sensitive as clinician-collected samples in detecting HPV and mailing HPV self-sampling kits increases screening participation. As US healthcare systems prepare to implement primary HPV screening, they will need to consider a variety of strategies. To date, HPV self-sampling randomized clinical trials have included only overdue women; no study has evaluated uptake and acceptance of HPV self-sampling kits as an alternative to in-clinic screening in a screening-adherent population.~Based on our Home-based Options to Make cervical cancer screening Easy (HOME) trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02005510), most women will test negative (88%) and can continue routine screening; 11% will require in-clinic follow-up: 3% directly to colposcopy (HPV-16/18+ results) and 8% to Pap because of HPV+ other results or an unsatisfactory result (<1%). For home-based HPV screening strategies to be successful, ensuring high follow-up compliance in the minority of women who test positive is critical.
The Self-Testing options in the Era of Primary HPV screening for cervical cancer (STEP) trial will evaluate effectiveness of home-based HPV kits for improving cervical cancer screening uptake and its cost-effectiveness. The investigators will compare cervical cancer screening uptake within six months among women randomized to different outreach approaches based on prior screening behavior: A) Adherent and coming due: direct mail HPV kit vs. opt-in HPV kit vs. education; B) Overdue: direct mail HPV kit vs. education; C) Unknown: opt-in HPV kit vs. education.