title: Determinants of women's likelihood of vaginal self-sampling for human papillomavirus to screen for cervical cancer in Taiwan: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many Taiwanese women (43.8%) did not participate in regular cervical screening in 2011. An alternative to cervical screening, self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV), has been available at no cost under Taiwan's National Health Insurance since 2010, but the extent and likelihood of HPV self-sampling were unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed to explore determinants of women's likelihood of HPV self-sampling. Data were collected by questionnaire from a convenience sample of 500 women attending hospital gynecologic clinics in central Taiwan from June to October 2012. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 500 respondents, 297 (59.4%) had heard of HPV; of these 297 women, 69 (23%) had self-sampled for HPV. Among the 297 women who had heard of HPV, 234 (78.8%) considered cost a priority for HPV self-sampling. Likelihood of HPV self-sampling was determined by previous Pap testing, high perceived risk of cervical cancer, willingness to self-sample for HPV, high HPV knowledge, and cost as a priority consideration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Outreach efforts to increase the acceptability of self-sampling for HPV testing rates should target women who have had a Pap test, perceive themselves at high risk for cervical cancer, are willing to self-sample for HPV, have a high level of HPV knowledge, and for whom the cost of self-sampling covered by health insurance is a priority.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan. slchen@hk.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shu-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cheng Ching Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. paul.po927@msa.hinet.net.
authors.forename: Pao-Chun
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan. chou123@sunrise.hk.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chia-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. tyaling@mail.cmu.edu.tw.|Department of Nursing, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. tyaling@mail.cmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ya-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tzeng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010465:Perception; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care / Q000191:economics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult