Perceptions of Vietnamese women regarding HPV self-collection: A cross-sectional analysis.

Abstract

e17530 Background: Cervical cancer remains a significant public health challenge, especially in low-resource settings such as Vietnam. HPV self-collection offers a promising avenue for improving screening uptake, yet its acceptance depends on addressing knowledge gaps and sociocultural barriers. This study aims to explore the perceptions of Vietnamese women in regard to HPV and HPV self-collection, emphasizing strategies for health promotion and disease prevention. The aims of this study were to summarize responses to a 51-item survey regarding perceptions of HPV self-collection in Vietnamese women between 30 and 65 years old, as well as to compare survey responses according to age, religion, education level, marital status, and frequency of doctor visits in the past year. Methods: A survey of 538 women aged 30–65 assessed cervical cancer knowledge, attitudes toward HPV self-collection, cost concerns, and communication preferences. Associations between demographic factors and perceptions were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank sum, Kruskal-Wallis, and Fisher’s exact tests (p < 0.05). Results: While 84.4% of respondents were aware of cervical cancer, only 59.0% had knowledge of HPV, and 41.3% were familiar with self-collection. Most women (82.5%) recognized the importance of cervical cancer prevention; however, only 45.5% viewed self-collection as equally effective as doctor-administered testing. For negative self-collection recorded results, 64.3% felt reassured, yet 81.1% preferred secondary confirmation by a doctor (p<0.01). Cost concerns were notable, with 56.5% willing to pay 400,000 VND but fewer accepting higher costs. Education significantly influenced responses, with higher-educated women demonstrating greater awareness and confidence in self-collection (p < 0.001) . Importantly, participants identified doctors and healthcare professionals as trusted sources of information, when compared to other sources of information such as television and government officials, underscoring the role of health promotion campaigns. Conclusions: Effective health promotion strategies are critical to increasing HPV self-collection uptake in Vietnam. Public health campaigns should prioritize education to address misconceptions, emphasize the efficacy of self-collection, and reduce stigma. Programs that leverage trusted communication channels, such as healthcare providers, can foster trust and improve participation. Efforts to ensure affordability and accessibility are essential to achieving equitable and widespread cervical cancer prevention.