Frequency and factors associated with the preference for self-testing for human papillomavirus detection.

Background: Motivation for the study. Cervical screening is key to early detection of cancer, but its acceptability limits its implementation. It is essential to understand preferences for self-sampling to facilitate its implementation. Findings. Factors such as educational level, marital status, place of origin, religion, and knowledge are associated with a preference for self-sampling to detect human papillomavirus. Implications. Health authorities can use these findings to strengthen the promotion of self-sampling through educational campaigns focused on populations with factors that limit its acceptance, thereby improving screening coverage.

Objective.: To analyze the frequency and factors associated with self-sampling preference for detecting human papillomavirus (HPV) in Peruvian women at a healthcare center, 2023-2024.

Materials and methods.: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted. The sample consisted of 275 women aged 30 to 49 years who from the Rinconada Healthcare Center. The main variable was evaluated directly using a dichotomous question, which revealed the user's preference for this method of cervical sample collection for HPV detection. The instrument was a valid and reliable questionnaire. Multivariate statistics were used to find the associated factors.

Results.: We found that 75.6% of users prefer self-sampling for HPV detection. Adjusted analysis showed that higher education (RPa=1.28; 95% CI: 1.01-1.64) and secondary education (RPa=1.46; 95% CI: 1.11-1.92) increased the likelihood of preferring self-sampling; while cohabiting marital status (RPa=0.61; 95% CI: 0.44-0.83), being from the rest of the coast (RPa=0.70; 95% CI: 0.50-0.97), Catholic religion (RPa=0.84; 95% CI: 0.74-0.96) and having a higher quartile of knowledge about HPV (RPa=0.88; 95% CI: 0.71-0.95) reduced the likelihood of preferring self-sampling.

Conclusion.: The frequency of preference for self-sampling for HPV detection is high and is associated with secondary/higher education, cohabitation, living on the coast except for the capital, being Catholic, and having a higher level of knowledge about HPV.

Background: Motivation for the study. Cervical screening is key to early detection of cancer, but its acceptability limits its implementation. It is essential to understand preferences for self-sampling to facilitate its implementation. Findings. Factors such as educational level, marital status, place of origin, religion, and knowledge are associated with a preference for self-sampling to detect human papillomavirus. Implications. Health authorities can use these findings to strengthen the promotion of self-sampling through educational campaigns focused on populations with factors that limit its acceptance, thereby improving screening coverage.