Mailing HPV test kits directly to patients increases cervical cancer screening rates, a new study shows.
The number of screenings for cancer, specifically colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer, dropped during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Out-of-pocket costs may deter people from acting on abnormal results from free cancer screenings, two studies indicate.
Women with unmet basic needs may not get Pap smears because they're focused on things like housing and food. A fix would save lives, say researchers.
"...mailing unsolicited self-collection kits for HPV testing increased cervical cancer screening by 50% in women who were underscreened..."
Evidence is starting to emerge that one dose of the HPV vaccine may eventually prove to be sufficient for protection, report researchers.
"Cervical cancer is a devastating disease... These findings could lead to a simple, rapid diagnostic test to help women get the treatment they need."
At least half of all sexually active men and women will acquire HPV in their lifetime, according to CDC estimates.
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