Comparison of Clinic-based Versus Clinic-plus Community Outreach-based Strategy Via HPV Self-Collection to Increase Uptake of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women Living With HIV: a Cluster Randomized Trial

This Clinical Trials Network for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Associated Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment Optimization (CASCADE) C3001-A trial aims to assess how the introduction of a community-health-worker-facilitated model, in addition to the existing static clinic-only model, influences the rates of cervical cancer screening uptake among women living with HIV (WLWH). This study involves offering human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection for cervical cancer screening to eligible WLWH.

The 'CASCADE' Network is a clinical trials network aimed at improving cervical cancer screening, management, and pre-cancer treatment for WLWH, in various healthcare settings. The network will conduct implementation trials to improve the triage of HPV-positive WLWH, as well as algorithms to optimize access to and options for effective treatment. Trials will be conducted using a mixed-methods approach aimed at assessing implementation strategies and outcomes and their potential to integrate into existing health systems.

Further understanding of HPV-based community-based strategies to reach WLWH, and the acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, and cost of these strategies will be valuable for cervical cancer screening programs serving WLWH. Inputs from various 'CASCADE' Clinical Sites (CS) regarding feasible screening outreach options available in their settings for WLWH have guided this study that focuses on evaluating a pragmatic HPV self-collection implementation model to improve access to screening.

While it is clear that HPV self-collection is a highly acceptable and feasible screening option, creating opportunities to conduct self-collection in alternative venues outside the clinic premises, and with the guidance of and facilitation by trusted community healthcare workers is an important implementation strategy that needs to be evaluated and considered for its potential benefit. Studies have not yet evaluated a community-based approach for HPV self-collection kit distribution among WLWH - who may have different characteristics, preferences, and access to screening services than women not living with HIV. Providing WLWH with the option of receiving HPV self-collection kits in their own homes or other community-based settings ('community-based HPV self-collection') is a novel implementation strategy that could improve cervical cancer screening rates among eligible women. Therefore, this novel trial aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing community-based HPV self-collection among WLWH.