Women’s acceptability of HPV self-collection in a healthcare setting following FDA approval in the United States

The United States Food and Drug Administration approved human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection in a healthcare setting as a cervical cancer screening approach in May 2024. It is therefore important to examine women's acceptability of this approach. We conducted an online survey in September 2024 with a national sample of women ages 45–65 from the United States (n = 296). Logistic regression identified correlates of participants' willingness to use HPV self-collection in a healthcare setting. Overall, 64.4 percent of participants were willing to use HPV self-collection in a healthcare setting if it was free or covered by insurance, while 23.9 percent were willing if it cost $150 out of pocket. Participants were more willing to use HPV self-collection for free if they had some form of health insurance (odds ratio [OR] = 3.49, 95 percent confidence interval [CI]: 1.25–9.71), had a routine medical checkup within the last year (OR = 3.50, 95 percent CI: 1.42–8.62), or reported a higher perceived likelihood of cervical cancer (OR = 1.93, 95 percent CI: 1.18–3.17). In summary, most women are willing to use HPV self-collection in a healthcare setting if it is free or covered by health insurance. Our findings can guide future programs that include HPV self-collection in a healthcare setting to increase cervical cancer screening.