title: Impact of an educational intervention on women's knowledge and acceptability of human papillomavirus self-sampling: a randomized controlled trial in Cameroon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling (Self-HPV) may be used as a primary cervical cancer screening method in a low resource setting. Our aim was to evaluate whether an educational intervention would improve women's knowledge and confidence in the Self-HPV method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women aged between 25 and 65 years old, eligible for cervical cancer screening, were randomly chosen to receive standard information (control group) or standard information followed by educational intervention (interventional group). Standard information included explanations about what the test detects (HPV), the link between HPV and cervical cancer and how to perform HPV self-sampling. The educational intervention consisted of a culturally tailored video about HPV, cervical cancer, Self-HPV and its relevancy as a screening test. All participants completed a questionnaire that assessed sociodemographic data, women's knowledge about cervical cancer and acceptability of Self-HPV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 302 women were enrolled in 4 health care centers in Yaoundé and the surrounding countryside. 301 women (149 in the "control group" and 152 in the "intervention group") completed the full process and were included into the analysis. Participants who received the educational intervention had a significantly higher knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer than the control group (p<0.05), but no significant difference on Self-HPV acceptability and confidence in the method was noticed between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Educational intervention promotes an increase in knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer. Further investigation should be conducted to determine if this intervention can be sustained beyond the short term and influences screening behavior.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) Register ISRCTN78123709.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gaëtan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sossauer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zbinden
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Center Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Pierre-Marie
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Tebeu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Center Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Gisèle K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Fosso
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Gynecologic Division, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Untiet
authors.affiliation: Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vassilakos
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Gynecologic Division, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petignat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002163:Cameroon; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*