Home-based human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling for improving participation in cervical screening

INTERVENTION: a)A pre‐invitation letter will be sent out first. This letter will inform women that a kit will be sent and explaining the purpose of the kit. b)Women will receive the kit within three weeks of mailout of the pre‐invitation letter. The kit includes: a.Invitation letter b.Information brochure on HPV and cervical cancer c.HPV self‐sampling kit: includes a cotton tipped swab enclosed in a plastic tube within a ziplock bag d.Instruction sheet (written and pictorial) for collection and mailing of the sample e.Pathology information form: asks for minimal information relevant to screening history, routinely collection information by the Registry, including women’s country of birth, information on indigenous status and hysterectomy status. We are also collecting specifically for the purposes of this study pregnancy status and her GP’s contact details if she wishes to provide them f.Reply paid envelope for return of the swab with the pathology information form The participants will be instructed (instruction sheet) to post their samples with the completed information form as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours of collection. CONDITION: Cervical cancer PRIMARY OUTCOME: Proportion of women who participate, by returning the self‐sampling kit to the Victorian Cytology Services Laboratory for women in the intervention arm, and notification of a Pap test result to the Victorian Pap test Registry for women allocated to the reminder letter arm SECONDARY OUTCOME: To determine proportion of women who have a positive screening test who undergo appropriate further investigation using the Victorian Pap test Registry To determine women’s experience with self‐sampling including reasons for not returning a complete kit using the survey questionnaire INCLUSION CRITERIA: Victorian women with no record of a Pap test in the Victorian Pap test Registry (never screened) or the last recorded Pap test was at least 5 years ago (underscreened)