Reported acceptability of HPV self-testing among infrequently screened women in North Carolina, US (n=227)*
| n† | % | |
| Likes/dislikes/preferences | ||
| Liked about self-test‡ | ||
| Convenience | 104 | 53 |
| Ease of use | 64 | 32 |
| Privacy | 46 | 23 |
| Doing it yourself | 35 | 18 |
| Comfort | 21 | 11 |
| General positive experience | 11 | 6 |
| Receiving results/getting screened | 11 | 6 |
| Increased body awareness | 3 | 2 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 29 | |
| Disliked about self-test‡ | ||
| Nothing | 122 | 70 |
| Difficulties with performing test | 24 | 14 |
| Discomfort | 17 | 10 |
| Waiting for results | 8 | 5 |
| Sending by mail | 4 | 2 |
| Dislike of doing a vaginal test | 1 | 1 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 53 | |
| More convenient to use a self-test… | ||
| At home | 153 | 69 |
| At a medical clinic | 7 | 3 |
| They are about the same/no opinion | 61 | 28 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 6 | |
| More private to use a self-test… | ||
| At home | 182 | 82 |
| At a medical clinic | 2 | 1 |
| They are about the same | 38 | 17 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 5 | |
| Experiences/attitudes | ||
| Ease of understanding the self-test instructions | ||
| Not hard | 215 | 99 |
| Somewhat/fairly/very hard | 2 | 1 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 10 | |
| Feel confident that used the self-test correctly | ||
| Strongly/somewhat agree | 213 | 97 |
| Somewhat/strongly disagree | 7 | 3 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 7 | |
| Emotions or feelings when using the self-test | ||
| Nothing | 102 | 55 |
| Anxious or worried/afraid or fearful/concerned about results | 37 | 20 |
| Empowered or confident/comfortable/positive | 29 | 16 |
| Intimidated/overwhelmed/awkward | 7 | 4 |
| Relieved/surprised | 5 | 3 |
| Curious | 4 | 2 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 43 | |
| Willing to use the HPV self-test again* | ||
| Yes | 94 | 98 |
| No | 2 | 2 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 10 | |
| Willing to pay for the self-test | ||
| Would not pay | 18 | 9 |
| $0–$24 | 87 | 43 |
| $25+ | 98 | 48 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 24 | |
| Receiving the kit/returning the sample | ||
| Comfortable receiving the kit in the mail | ||
| Yes | 210 | 99 |
| No | 3 | 1 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 14 | |
| Preferred method for receiving the kit | ||
| In the mail | 107 | 51 |
| In a health clinic | 6 | 3 |
| In a pharmacy | 3 | 1 |
| Doesn’t matter/don’t know | 94 | 45 |
| Refused/missing | 17 | |
| Uncomfortable sending back the sample in the mail | ||
| Yes | 38 | 18 |
| No | 172 | 82 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 17 | |
| Concerned sample would get into the wrong hands (be seen or received by the wrong person) | ||
| Strongly/somewhat agree | 37 | 18 |
| Somewhat/strongly disagree | 170 | 82 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 20 | |
| Comfortable receiving self-test results by phone | ||
| Strongly/somewhat agree | 203 | 97 |
| Somewhat/strongly disagree | 6 | 3 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 18 | |
| Suggestions to improve self-test | ||
| Advice to make the self-test instructions better | ||
| No advice | 158 | 88 |
| Have a video | 8 | 4 |
| More detailed | 5 | 3 |
| Use simpler language | 4 | 2 |
| Shorter | 2 | 1 |
| Better Spanish translation | 1 | 1 |
| In-person assistance | 1 | 1 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 48 | |
| Suggestions for improving the self-collection brush | ||
| None | 130 | 73 |
| Make softer/swab instead of brush | 30 | 17 |
| Make easier to detach brush and insert into tube | 8 | 4 |
| Include mark of how far to insert | 3 | 2 |
| Make longer | 2 | 1 |
| Make curved | 2 | 1 |
| Make bristles bigger | 1 | 1 |
| Other | 4 | 2 |
| Refused/don’t know/missing | 48 |
*From the follow-up questionnaire.
†Numbers may not add up to total due to missing values and skip patterns.
‡Percentages may add up to more than 100% given that participants could give multiple answers.
HPV, human papillomavirus.