WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Six in 10 U.S. women say they prefer to get their cervical cancer screening in a clinic versus at home with a self-sampling kit, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in JAMA Network Open.
Joël Fokom Domgue, M.D., from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and colleagues assessed whether women prefer home-based self-sampling over clinic-based testing for cervical cancer screening. The analysis included results from 2,300 participants (aged 21 to 65 years) in the 2024 Health Interview National Trends Survey.
The researchers found that 20.4 percent preferred at-home self-sampling, 60.8 percent preferred clinic-based testing, and 18.8 percent were uncertain about their choice. Non-Hispanic Black respondents (adjusted odds ratio, 0.45) had lower odds of preferring at-home self-sampling versus non-Hispanic White participants. At-home self-sampling was preferred among women who had experienced prejudice or discrimination when getting medical care (adjusted odds ratio, 1.94). The most commonly cited reasons for preferring at-home self-sampling included privacy (54.9 percent), time constraints (35.1 percent), and fear of embarrassment (33.4 percent).
"Home-based self-sampling has the potential to remove many of the barriers women face when it comes to cervical cancer screening," lead author Sanjay Shete, Ph.D., also from MD Anderson, said in a statement. "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."