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Peter Sasieni: Study of Self-sampling for Improving Uptake of Cervical Screening in Those Under-screened

Peter Sasieni/LinkedIn

Jul 31, 2025, 04:10

Peter Sasieni: Study of Self-sampling for Improving Uptake of Cervical Screening in Those Under-screened

Peter Sasieni, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology at Queen Mary University of London, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Another study of self-sampling for improving uptake of cervical screening in those under-screened. With my fabulous colleagues Anita L., Rebecca Landy, Jane Rigney, and Bernard North.

This study used an interesting design. We cluster-randomised GP-practices to either offering ‘DIY screening kits’ during consultations or usual care. And we individually randomised women within each practice to one of three interventions if they became exactly 15months overdue cervical screening: usual care (no intervention), a letter inviting them to order a DIY kit; or a letter including a self-sampling kit and instructions how to use it.

To help the GPs and practice nurses, we programmed an alert so that when they opened the patient’s records a box would pop-up informing them that the patient was eligible for self-sampling.

Half of those offered a kit in the GP’s surgery were screened, compared with 12% of those sent a kit in the post and just 5% of those sent a letter. However, over an average of 11 months, only 7.3% (range 4%-11%) of eligible women were offered a kit during an primary care appointment.

Many of those providing self-samples in this study had never been screened before.

The introduction of self-sampling for those overdue cervical screening will increase participation and prevent more cervical cancer. But just sending letters offering self-sampling kits is unlikely to be enough to make much of a difference. The best approach is for a one-to-one offer to be made in primary care.”

Title: Impact of mode of offer of self-sampling to people overdue cervical screening on screening participation: a randomised controlled trial

Journal: eClinicalMedicine

Authors: Anita W.W. Lim, Rebecca Landy, Jane Rigney, Bernard North, Peter D. Sasieni

Read the full article.

Cervical Screening