HOUSTON, FEBRUARY 6, 2026 – American women now have the option of screening for cervical cancer at home, using newly approved self-collection tools. While experts hope this will increase uptake in the under-screened population, a first-of-its kind study by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found the majority (60.8%) still prefer to see a medical professional in-clinic.
The study, published today in JAMA Network Open , also revealed that marginalized were more likely to prefer at-home self-sampling, and women with low income and those who do not trust the health care system were more likely to be uncertain about which option to choose. Of 2,300 screening-eligible women, just 20.4% prefer to screen for cervical cancer at home, and 18.8% were unsure about their choice.
"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, Ph.D. , deputy division head of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences . "By expanding screening options and pairing them with targeted education, we can empower more women to participate in screening in a way that fits their lives."
Is there still value in offering home-based self-collection tools?
While cervical cancer screening rates have increased over the last 25 years, there has been a shift since the COVID-19 pandemic toward decreased annual screening coverage. Experts say there is still a need to improve cervical cancer screening uptake among under-screened populations, and this study suggests that these groups would benefit from having options that best fit their preference.
In the study, Black women were less likely to prefer at-home self-sampling versus clinic-based testing compared to white women. On the other hand, individuals who were overdue for screening were most likely to prefer at-home kits, as were those who had experienced prejudice or discrimination when getting medical care. The most reported reasons for preferring at-home self-sampling were privacy (54.9%), time constraints (35.1%) and avoiding embarrassment (33.4%).
Both the Health Resources and Services Administration and the American Cancer Society have adopted home-based self-collection for cervical cancer screening.
"Major public health and medical organizations should consider updating their recommendations to include home-based self-sampling. This policy shift could play a critical role in reducing screening inequities and improving uptake among populations that have historically been underserved," said co-author Joël Fokom Domgue, M.D., senior researcher of Epidemiology.
How was the study conducted?
This cross-sectional study was based on data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) , a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults in the civilian population. This study included all women aged 21-65 who completed the survey and were eligible for cervical cancer screening as per U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. The individuals also had to have responded to the cervical cancer screening questions.
Limitations of the study include the cross-sectional nature of HINTS, a lack of familiarity with the new at-home screening kits, the fact that the FDA has not approved the self-collection tool at the time of the HINTS survey, and that data and prior screening history was not collected as a part of HINTS.
