Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Cancer Council, Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Health Expect. 2024 Feb;27(1):e13961. doi: 10.1111/hex.13961.
In July 2022, self-collection became universally available as part of Australia's National Cervical Screening Program. This change aims to address screening inequities experienced among underscreened populations, including women of Indian descent. This study explored experiences of cervical screening, alongside the acceptability of self-collection, among women of Indian descent living in Victoria, Australia. We also aimed to articulate the informational needs to promote self-collection among this population.
Five focus group discussions with 39 women living in Victoria were conducted in English (n = 3) and Punjabi (n = 2). Transcripts were thematically analysed, as informed by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability.
Women were motivated by the choice to self-collect, perceiving the ability to maintain modesty and greater autonomy as key enablers. Healthcare practitioners were seen as central in supporting patient-centred models of care. Perceived barriers to self-collection included concerns around its accuracy and women's confidence in collecting their own sample. Widespread dissemination of culturally tailored promotion strategies communicating concepts such as 'privacy' and 'accuracy' were suggested by women to promote self-collection.
Self-collection was highly acceptable among women of Indian descent, particularly when assured of its accuracy, and sociocultural norms and previous screening experiences are considered. This study highlights the huge potential that self-collection can play in increasing equity in Australia's cervical screening programme.
Members of the public were involved in focus group discussions. Findings were summarised and disseminated via a poster. A bicultural worker was involved in all stages of the research.
2022 年 7 月，澳大利亚国家宫颈癌筛查计划普遍提供了自我采样，这是为了解决未充分筛查人群（包括印度裔女性）面临的筛查不公平问题。本研究探讨了居住在澳大利亚维多利亚州的印度裔女性的宫颈癌筛查体验，以及她们对自我采样的可接受性。我们还旨在明确促进该人群自我采样的信息需求。
我们在维多利亚州用英语（n = 3）和旁遮普语（n = 2）进行了 5 次焦点小组讨论，共有 39 名女性参加。根据可接受性理论框架对转录本进行了主题分析。
女性受到自我采样的选择的激励，认为保持隐私和更大自主权的能力是关键的促成因素。医疗保健从业者被视为支持以患者为中心的护理模式的核心。自我采样的潜在障碍包括对其准确性的担忧，以及女性对自行采集样本的信心不足。女性建议广泛传播针对文化定制的宣传策略，传达“隐私”和“准确性”等概念，以促进自我采样。
自我采样在印度裔女性中非常受欢迎，尤其是在保证其准确性的情况下，并且考虑到社会文化规范和以前的筛查经验。本研究强调了自我采样在增加澳大利亚宫颈癌筛查计划公平性方面的巨大潜力。
公众成员参与了焦点小组讨论。研究结果通过海报进行了总结和传播。一名双语工作者参与了研究的所有阶段。
