Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Sex Transm Infect. 2017 Sep 2;94(2):131–137. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2017-053235

Table 2.

Reported acceptability of HPV self-testing among infrequently screened women in North Carolina (n=227)

n* %
Likes/Dislikes/Preferences
Liked about self-test
 Convenience 104 53
 Ease of use 64 32
 Privacy 46 23
 Doing it yourself 35 18
 Comfort 21 11
 General positive experience 11 6
 Receiving results/getting Screened 11 6
 Increased body awareness 3 2
 Refused/don’t know/missing 29
Disliked about self-test
 Nothing 122 70
 Difficulties with performing test 24 14
 Discomfort 17 10
 Waiting for results 8 5
 Sending by mail 4 2
 Dislike of doing a vaginal test 1 1
 Refused/don’t know/missing 53
More convenient to use a self-test…
 At home 153 69
 At a medical clinic 7 3
 They are about the same/no opinion 61 28
 Refused/don’t know/missing 6
More private to use a self-test…
 At home 182 82
 At a medical clinic 2 1
 They are about the same 38 17
 Refused/don’t know/missing 5
Experiences/Attitudes
Ease of understanding the self-test instructions
 Not hard 215 99
 Somewhat/fairly/very hard 2 1
 Refused/don’t know/missing 10
Feel confident that used the self-test correctly
 Strongly/somewhat agree 213 97
 Somewhat/strongly disagree 7 3
 Refused/don’t know/missing 7
Emotions or feelings when using the self-test
 Nothing 102 55
 Anxious or worried/afraid or fearful/concerned about results 37 20
 Empowered or confident/comfortable/Positive 29 16
 Intimidated/overwhelmed/awkward 7 4
 Relieved/surprised 5 3
 Curious 4 2
 Refused/don’t know/missing 43
Willing to use the HPV self-test again
 Yes 94 98
 No 2 2
 Refused/don’t know/missing 10
Willing to pay for the self-test
 Would not pay 18 9
 $0-$24 87 43
 $25+ 98 48
 Refused/don’t know/missing 24
Receiving the kit/returning the sample
Comfortable receiving the kit in the mail
 Yes 210 99
 No 3 1
 Refused/don’t know/missing 14
Preferred method for receiving the kit
 In the mail 107 51
 In a health clinic 6 3
 In a pharmacy 3 1
 Doesn’t matter/don’t know 94 45
 Refused/missing 17
Uncomfortable sending back the sample in the mail
 Yes 38 18
 No 172 82
 Refused/don’t know/missing 17
Concerned sample would get into the wrong hands (be seen or received by the wrong person)
 Strongly/somewhat agree 37 18
 Somewhat/strongly disagree 170 82
 Refused/don’t know/missing 20
Comfortable receiving self-test results by phone
 Strongly/somewhat agree 203 97
 Somewhat/strongly disagree 6 3
 Refused/don’t know/missing 18
Suggestions to improve self-test
Advice to make the self-test instructions better
 No advice 158 88
 Have a video 8 4
 More detailed 5 3
 Use simpler language 4 2
 Shorter 2 1
 Better Spanish translation 1 1
 In-person assistance 1 1
 Refused/don’t know/missing 48
Suggestions for improving the self-collection brush
 None 130 73
 Make softer/swab instead of brush 30 17
 Make easier to detach brush and insert into tube 8 4
 Include mark of how far to insert 3 2
 Make longer 2 1
 Make curved 2 1
 Make bristles bigger 1 1
 Other 4 2
 Refused/don’t know/missing 48
*

Numbers do not always add up to total due to missing values and/or skip patterns

Percentages may add up to move than 100% given that participants could give multiple answers

From the follow-up questionnaire