Seattle-based Kaiser Permanente Washington increased cervical cancer screening completion by 2.2 percentage points after launching a mail-in self-collection program, according to a study published May 20 in NEJM Catalyst.
Here are five things to know from the study:
- Of the 47,333 eligible patients, 12.6% were mailed HPV self-collection kits. Of those patients, 25.1% returned and processed their kits within six months of the program launch.
- After the program was implemented, 62.6% of cervical cancer screening samples were clinician-collected and 37.4% were self-collected.
- Clinicians appreciated the program, noting it reduced time spent on pelvic exams and that some patients preferred self-collection. However, clinicians and patients expressed concerns over screening quality and accuracy.
- Since Dec. 31, 2025, 13,317 of the 60,529 mailed HPV self-collection kits have been completed, and an additional 12,014 tests have been completed through in-clinic self-collection.
- “HPV self-collect provides an opportunity to efficiently screen more people for cervical cancer and potentially increase primary care access,” the study authors wrote.
Read the full study here.
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