Acceptability of Vaginal Human Papillomavirus Self-Collection Among Colposcopy Clinic Attendees.

Background: Cervical cancer screening with a self-collected vaginal specimen for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2024, offering a potential solution to declining screening rates. Objective: We aimed to assess acceptability of clinic-based vaginal specimen self-collection for HPV testing and to evaluate associations between participants' sociodemographics and their likelihood of choosing self-collection for future screening and the overall acceptability of using the Evalyn® brush device. We also evaluated associations between specific acceptability constructs and reported likelihood to use the device in the future and overall acceptability. Methods: Following self-collection of a vaginal specimen, participants completed an electronic survey that measured constructs from the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Associations were assessed using logistic regressions. The study was conducted at a colposcopy clinic in the Gynecology department of a midwestern academic medical center in the United States from November 2022 through July 2023. Results: Participants ( Conclusion: Vaginal specimen self-collection for HPV testing was well-received in the studied population, with high acceptability and likelihood of uptake. Implementation efforts should provide user-friendly instructions and emphasize the benefits of self-collection for cervical cancer screening, particularly among people less likely to engage with clinician-collected speculum-based screening.