Most Women Still Prefer In-Clinic Cervical Cancer Screening, Study Finds
Despite FDA approval of at-home self-collection kits, 61% of women favor clinician-collected testing, signaling continued stability for traditional lab workflows.
A new national study suggests that while home-based cervical cancer screening is now an option in the United States, most women still prefer in-clinic testing—an important signal for clinical laboratories preparing for potential shifts in specimen volume and workflow.
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that 60.8% of screening-eligible women prefer to undergo cervical cancer screening in a clinical setting rather than use an at-home self-collection kit. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, come months after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first home-based self-sampling device for cervical cancer screening, a move intended to expand access and improve uptake among under-screened populations.
Among 2,300 women aged 21 to 65 surveyed through the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey , 20.4% said they would prefer at-home screening, while 18.8% were unsure. For laboratory professionals, the data suggest that while home-based human papillomavirus (HPV) testing may grow, traditional clinician-collected specimens are likely to remain the dominant source of cervical screening volume—at least in the near term.
For laboratories, the findings suggest that traditional clinician-collected Pap and HPV specimens are likely to remain the primary driver of screening volume in the near term, with home-based kits adding incremental growth rather than immediately shifting overall test mix.
Demographic Differences Point to a More Segmented Screening Market
The study also highlights important demographic differences that could shape outreach strategies and testing patterns. Women who were overdue for screening were more likely to prefer at-home kits, as were individuals who reported experiencing prejudice or discrimination in healthcare settings. Privacy (54.9%), time constraints (35.1%), and avoidance of embarrassment (33.4%) were the most commonly cited reasons for choosing self-collection.
However, Black women were less likely than White women to prefer at-home screening, a finding that underscores the need for culturally tailored education and engagement strategies. Women with lower incomes and those who reported distrust of the healthcare system were more likely to say they were uncertain about which screening option to choose.
For clinical laboratories, these nuances may translate into a more segmented screening market. Health systems and public health programs that deploy mailed self-collection kits could see incremental increases in HPV testing from previously unscreened patients. At the same time, uncertainty and limited familiarity with the newly approved devices—particularly since FDA approval occurred after the survey was conducted—suggest that adoption may be gradual.
“Home-based self-sampling has the potential to remove many of the barriers women face when it comes to cervical cancer screening,” said lead author Sanjay Shete, PhD, of MD Anderson’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences. (Photo credit; MD Anderson)
Co-author Joël Fokom Domgue, MD, noted that national organizations such as the Health Resources and Services Administration and the American Cancer Society have already adopted home-based self-collection as part of their screening recommendations, and he suggested broader policy updates could help reduce inequities.
For laboratory professionals, the study underscores both opportunity and operational complexity: Expanding access through self-collection may boost overall screening rates, but in-clinic testing remains the clear preference for most women. Strategic planning around specimen logistics, patient education, and payer policies will likely determine how quickly—and how substantially—home-based screening reshapes the cervical cancer testing landscape.
—Janette Wider
