Awareness of the role of HPV testing in cervical screening is low, according to a new survey.
Cancer Research UK funded the online survey which was run by YouGov and overseen by researchers at King’s College London, UK.
It analysed information from 1,930 women in England, Scotland and Wales, who were representative of the general population in age, region, education, and socioeconomics.
It showed that only 12% of women knew how HPV testing is used in cervical screening, and only 14% of women knew that HPV is a risk factor for cervical cancer.
Just under a quarter (23%) of those who had heard of HPV were aware that most sexually active people will contract the virus at some point in their lives.
Findings are published today in the Journal of Medical Screening. The authors point out that this is the largest ever study to explore British women’s understanding of primary HPV testing.
Researcher Professor Jo Waller said: “While positive strides have been made to increase awareness of HPV, our research reveals major gaps in women’s understanding of current approaches to cervical screening.
“Improving awareness can help to reduce feelings of uncertainty and confusion about screening results. It will also help people understand the reasoning behind any future updates to the screening programme, such as HPV self-sampling and changes to intervals between screening appointments.”?
Dr Julie Sharp of Cancer Research UK commented: “Everyone should have equal access to screening, but barriers to participation can often lead to inequalities in diagnosis and treatment. If we’re to eliminate these inequalities, we need more research like this.
“It’s vital that the UK Government continues to work with individuals, communities and services to ensure that accurate information about HPV reaches those who need it.”
Waller, J. et al. Journal of Medical Screening 25 October 2023; doi: 10.1177/09691413231205965
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