IPVS policy statement on HPV nucleic acid testing guidance for those utilising/considering HPV as primary precancer screening: Quality assurance and quality control issues.

We advise that only clinically validated HPV assays which have fulfilled internationally accepted performance criteria be used for primary cervical screening. Further, assays should be demonstrated to be fit for purpose in the laboratory in which they will ultimately be performed, and quality materials manuals and frameworks will be helpful in this endeavor. Importantly, there is a fundamental shortage of well validated, low-cost, low complexity HPV tests that have demonstrated utility in a near-patient setting; representing a significant challenge and focus for future development in order to reach the WHO's goal of eliminating cervical cancer.

Understanding the public health value and defining preferred product characteristics for therapeutic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines: World Health Organization consultations, October 2021-March 2022.

The World Health Organization (WHO) global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer (CxCa) could result in >62 million lives saved by 2120 if strategy targets are reached and maintained: 90% of adolescent girls receiving prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, 70% of women receiving twice-lifetime cervical cancer screening, and 90% of cervical pre-cancer lesions and invasive CxCa treated. However, the cost and complexity of CxCa screening and treatment approaches has hampered scale-up, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and new approaches are needed. Therapeutic HPV vaccines (TxV), which could clear persistent high-risk HPV infection and/or cause regression of pre-cancerous lesions, are in early clinical development and might offer one such approach. During October 2021 to March 2022, WHO, in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, convened a series of global expert consultations to lay the groundwork for understanding the potential value of TxV in the context of current CxCa prevention efforts and for defining WHO preferred product characteristics (PPCs) for TxV. WHO PPCs describe preferences for vaccine attributes that would help optimize vaccine value and use in meeting the global public health need. This paper reports on the main discussion points and findings from the expert consultations. Experts identified several ways in which TxV might address challenges in current CxCa prevention programmes, but emphasized that the potential value of TxV will depend on their degree of efficacy and how quickly they can be developed and implemented relative to ongoing scale-up of existing interventions. Consultation participants also discussed potential use-cases for TxV, important PPC considerations (e.g., vaccine indications, target populations, and delivery strategies), and critical modelling needs for predicting TxV impact and cost-effectiveness.

Participation in the nationwide cervical cancer screening programme in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic: An observational study.

Background: In contrast to most of the world, the cervical cancer screening programme continued in Denmark throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the cervical cancer screening participation during the pandemic in Denmark. Methods: We included all women aged 23-64 y old invited to participate in cervical cancer screening from 2015 to 2021 as registered in the Cervical Cancer Screening Database combined with population-wide registries. Using a generalised linear model, we estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs of cervical cancer screening participation within 90, 180, and 365 d since invitation during the pandemic in comparison with the previous years adjusting for age, year, and month of invitation. Results: Altogether, 2,220,000 invited women (in 1,466,353 individuals) were included in the study. Before the pandemic, 36% of invited women participated in screening within 90 d, 54% participated within 180 d, and 65% participated within 365 d. At the start of the pandemic, participation in cervical cancer screening within 90 d was lower (pre-lockdown PR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.56-0.59 and first lockdown PR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.75-0.77) compared with the previous years. A reduction in participation within 180 d was also seen during pre-lockdown (PR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.88-0.90) and first lockdown (PR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.91-0.93). Allowing for 365 d to participation, only a slight reduction (3%) in participation was seen with slightly lower participation in some groups (immigrants, low education, and low income). Conclusions: The overall participation in cervical cancer screening was reduced during the early phase of the pandemic. However, the decline almost diminished with longer follow-up time. Funding: The study was funded by the Danish Cancer Society Scientific Committee (grant number R321-A17417) and the Danish regions.

Barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening for women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; a qualitative study of GPs.

OBJECTIVE: To explore general practitioners' (GPs) perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening (CCS) for women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive study involving semi-structured interviews, with interview guide informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework. SETTING: Adelaide, South Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve GPs with experience in providing CCS to women from CALD backgrounds participated. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged: 'importance of clinician-patient relationship', 'patients' cultural understanding regarding health care and CCS', 'communication and language' and 'health system related'. Each theme had several subthemes. GPs' professional relationship with their patients and repeated advice from other clinicians, together with the provision of opportunistic CCS, were described as facilitators, and encompassed the theme of 'importance of clinician-patient relationship'. This theme also raised the possibility of self-collection human papilloma virus tests. Lack of awareness and knowledge, lower priority for cancer screening and patients' individual circumstances contributed to the theme of 'patients' cultural understanding regarding health care and CCS', and often acted as barriers to CCS. 'Communication and language' consisted of language difficulties, interpreter use and use of appropriate resources. Language difficulties were a barrier to the provision of CCS, and GPs used interpreters and written handouts to help overcome this. The theme of 'health system related' involved the increased time needed for CCS consults for CALD women, access to appointments, funding, health promotion and effective use of practice management software. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that multiple, inter-related barriers and facilitators influence CALD women's engagement with CCS, and that GPs needed to manage all of these factors in order to encourage CCS participation. More efforts are needed to address the barriers to ensure that GPs have access to appropriate resources, and CALD patients have access to GPs they trust.

Decline of cytology-based cervical cancer screening for COVID-19: a single-center Peruvian experience. / Declive del cribado de cáncer cervical basado en citología by COVID-19: una experiencia unicéntrica peruana.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the second most frequent malignant disease in the Peruvian female population, and the Papanicolaou test is its main screening tool. However, the COVID-19 pandemic can hinder cervical cancer screening, reducing its scope. Objective: To analyze the decline of Papanicolaou-based cervical cancer screening due to COVID-19 in a specialized hospital in Lima. Methods: We designed a retrospective study (from 2015 to 2020) on 355 029 Papanicolaou smears at the Hospital Nacional Madre Niño San Bartolomé. T-test and one-way ANOVA were used to define differences in the study period and Ljung-Box test with ARIMA (1,0,0) model to describe and forecast monthly expected Papanicolaou smears for 2020. Results: Throughout the six years of the study, the average Papanicolaou smears was 59 171.5 ± 8898.7 per year. However, in 2020 only 16 273 (4.58%) Papanicolaou tests were performed with a monthly mean of 1356.1 ± 684.2 (95% confidence interval 149.7 to 2861.9) (p < 0.001). The forecast showed 66 960 Papanicolaou smears for 2020 and a monthly mean of 5580 ± 129.3. Actual screenings during that year were only 16 273 Papanicolaou smears, resulting in a 76.7% reduction in cervical cancer screening during the pandemic. Conclusions: Our results suggest a dramatic decrease in cervical cancer screening based on Papanicolaou smears during 2020 in Peru due to prevention and control measures against COVID-19.

Introducción: El cáncer de cuello uterino es la segunda neoplasia más frecuente en la población femenina peruana y la prueba de Papanicolau es la principal estrategia de cribado. Sin embargo, la pandemia de COVID-19 puede bloquear el tamizaje cervicovaginal pudiendo reducir su alcance. Objetivo: Analizar el declive del cribado de cáncer de cuello uterino basado en la prueba de Papanicolaou, debido a COVID-19 en un hospital especializado de Lima. Métodos: Diseñamos un estudio retrospectivo (de 2015 a 2020) en 355 029 pruebas de Papanicolau en el Hospital Nacional Madre Niño San Bartolomé. Se utilizó la prueba T y ANOVA para definir las diferencias en el periodo del estudio y la prueba de Ljung-Box con modelo ARIMA (1,0,0) para describir y pronosticar mensualmente las pruebas de Papanicolau esperadas para el año 2020. Resultados: Durante los seis años del estudio el promedio fue de 59 171,5 ± 8898,7 pruebas de Papanicolau por año. Sin embargo, en 2020 solo se realizaron 16 273 (4,58%) pruebas de Papanicolau con una media mensual de 1356,1 ± 684,2 (intervalo de confianza 95%: 149,7 a 2861,9) (p < 0,001). El pronóstico mostró 66 960 pruebas de Papanicolau para el año 2020 y una media mensual de 5580 ± 129,3. Los tamizajes reales durante ese año fueron solamente de 16 273 pruebas de Papanicolau , generando un 76,7% de reducción del tamizaje de cáncer de cuello uterino durante la pandemia. Conclusiones: Conclusiones.

Feasibility and acceptability of telehealth and contactless delivery of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing for cervical screening with Maori and Pacific women in a COVID-19 outbreak in Aotearoa New Zealand.

AIM: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of a telehealth offer and contactless delivery of human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical screening self-test during the 2021 COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown in Auckland, New Zealand. METHODS: A small proof-of-concept study was undertaken to test telehealth approaches in never-screened, due or overdue Maori and Pacific women enrolled in a local Primary Health Organisation (PHO). Study invitation, active follow-up, nurse-led discussions, result notification and a post-test questionnaire were all delivered through telehealth. RESULTS: A sample of 197 eligible Maori and Pacific women were invited to take part, of which 86 women were successfully contacted. Sixty-six agreed to take part. Overall uptake was 61 samples returned (31.8%) and uptake of all contactable women was 70.9%. Six of the 61 HPV self-tests (9.8%) were positive, all for non 16/18 types, and were referred for cytology. Three had negative cytology results, and three with positive cytology results were referred for colposcopy. CONCLUSION: The offer of HPV self-testing during COVID-19 lockdown was both feasible and highly acceptable for Maori and Pacific women. Importantly, HPV self-testing via telehealth and mail-out, alongside other options, offers a potential pro-equity approach for addressing the impact of deferred screens due to COVID-19 and other longstanding coverage issues.

The Short-Term Impact Of COVID-19 Pandemic on Cervical Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out to assess the pooled proportion of women screened for cervical cancer before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: After ruling out registered or ongoing systematic reviews in the PROSPERO database regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in cervical cancer screening, the protocol of our systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021279305). The electronic databases were searched for articles published in English between January 2020 and October 2021and the study was designed based on PRISMA guidelines updated in 2020. Meta-analysis was accomplished in STATA version 13.0 (College Station, Texas 77,845 USA). The pooled proportion of women who had undergone cervical cancer screening was reported with 95% CI. In order to quantify the heterogeneity, Chi2 statistic (Q statistic) and I2 index were used. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included seven studies from Slovenia, Italy, Ontario (Canada), Scotland, Belgium, and the USA, comprising 403,986 women and 199,165 women who were screened for cervical cancer before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 and during the pandemic in 2020, respectively. The pooled proportion of women screened for cervical cancer in 2019 was 9.79% (95% CI 6.00%-13.59%, 95% prediction interval 0.42%-23.81%). During the pandemic, the pooled proportion of screened women declined to 4.24% (95% CI 2.77%-5.71%, 95% prediction interval 0.9%-17.49%). CONCLUSION: There was a substantial drop in the cervical cancer screening rate due to lockdowns and travel restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Scaling up cervical cancer screening strategies is essential to prevent the long-term impact of cervical cancer burden.

Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer: A systematic review of the impact of COVID-19 on patient care.

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare services, including cervical cancer management, and an increased burden for this condition is expected. This systematic review synthetizes the available evidence on the impact of the pandemic on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer. Searches were performed on PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for relevant studies on these topics with the purpose of comparing service access and care delivery before and during COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the methodological heterogeneity among the studies, findings were narratively discussed. Of the 715 screened titles and abstracts, 33 articles were included, corresponding to 42 reports that covered the outcomes of interest: vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) (6 reports), cancer screening (19), diagnosis (8), and treatment (8). Seven studies observed reductions in HPV vaccination uptake and coverage during COVID-19. Reports on cervical screening and cancer diagnosis activities showed a substantial impact of the pandemic on access to screening services and diagnostic procedures. All but one study that investigated cervical cancer treatment reported changes in the number of women with cervical lesions who received treatments, as well as treatment delay and interruption. With a major impact during the first wave in 2020, COVID-19 and restriction measures resulted in a substantial disruption in cervical cancer prevention and management, with declines in screening and delays in treatment. Taken together, findings from this systematic review calls for urgent policy interventions for recovering cervical cancer prevention and care.

A model-based analysis of the health impacts of COVID-19 disruptions to primary cervical screening by time since last screen for current and future disruptions.

We evaluated how temporary disruptions to primary cervical cancer (CC) screening services may differentially impact women due to heterogeneity in their screening history and test modality. We used three CC models to project the short- and long-term health impacts assuming an underlying primary screening frequency (i.e., 1, 3, 5, or 10 yearly) under three alternative COVID-19-related screening disruption scenarios (i.e., 1-, 2-, or 5-year delay) versus no delay in the context of both cytology-based and human papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening. Models projected a relative increase in symptomatically detected cancer cases during a 1-year delay period that was 38% higher (Policy1-Cervix), 80% higher (Harvard), and 170% higher (MISCAN-Cervix) for underscreened women whose last cytology screen was 5 years prior to the disruption period compared with guidelines-compliant women (i.e., last screen 3 years prior to disruption). Over a woman's lifetime, temporary COVID-19-related delays had less impact on lifetime risk of developing CC than screening frequency and test modality; however, CC risks increased disproportionately the longer time had elapsed since a woman's last screen at the time of the disruption. Excess risks for a given delay period were generally lower for HPV-based screeners than for cytology-based screeners. Our independent models predicted that the main drivers of CC risk were screening frequency and screening modality, and the overall impact of disruptions from the pandemic on CC outcomes may be small. However, screening disruptions disproportionately affect underscreened women, underpinning the importance of reaching such women as a critical area of focus, regardless of temporary disruptions.

Geographic Examination of COVID-19 Test Percent Positivity and Proportional Change in Cancer Screening Volume, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.

INTRODUCTION: In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant declines in cancer screening, including among women served by the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). This study examined the spatial association between state-based COVID-19 test percent positivity and proportional change in NBCCEDP screening volume. METHODS: Using the COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory Testing dataset, we calculated state-based monthly COVID-19 test percent positivity from July through December 2020 and categorized rates into low, medium, and high groups. We used data from 48 NBCCEDP state awardees to calculate the state-based monthly proportional change in screening volume and compared data for July-December 2020 with the previous 5-year average for those months. We categorized changes in screening volume into large decrease, medium decrease, and minimal change and created maps of the associations between variable subgroups by using bivariate mapping in QGIS. RESULTS: Bivariate relationships between COVID-19 test percent positivity and proportional change in cancer screening volume varied over time and geography. In 5 of 6 months, 4 states had high COVID-19 test percent positivity and minimal change in breast or cervical cancer screening volume; 2 states had high COVID-19 test percent positivity and minimal change in breast and cervical cancer screening volume. CONCLUSION: Some states maintained pre-COVID-19 screening volumes despite high COVID-19 test percent positivity. Follow-up research will be conducted to determine how these states differ from those with consistent decreases in screening volume and identify factors that may have contributed to differences. This information could be useful for planning to maximize NBCCEDP awardees' ability to maintain screening volume during future public health emergencies.

Co-designed, culturally tailored cervical screening education with migrant and refugee women in Australia: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Participation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women from migrant and refugee backgrounds in cervical screening is crucial to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem within the next 20 years. However, CALD women report low participation in cervical screening. Barriers to participation can be addressed with culturally tailored, community-based programs. There is a need for research to explore the process, feasibility, acceptability and barriers to cultural tailoring in the delivery and evaluation of cervical screening health education. METHODS: CALD community health workers took part in a 2 day training program then co-designed, culturally tailored and co-facilitated cervical screening health promotion forums within their communities. Forums were delivered to a total of seven groups, involving 12 sessions and 71 CALD women. The forums were evaluated for feasibility, acceptability, implementation and effectiveness using a survey, interviews and observations. Data were collected from CALD women, facilitators and researchers. RESULTS: The co-design and co-delivery of cervical screening health promotion forums was time and resource intensive however allowed for deeper cultural tailoring resulting in engagement with 'hard to reach' CALD women, improved health literacy and intention to screen. Flexibility in the intervention implementation was crucial to ensure forums were responsive to community interests and needs. Online delivery of the forums in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was acceptable to most groups. CONCLUSIONS: Co-designed, culturally tailored cervical screening health promotion forums are feasible and acceptable to CALD women, in both face-to-face and online formats. Adjustments to the intervention protocol were recommended to improve future implementation.

Impact of COVID-19 on cancer screening in South Korea.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic significantly declined cancer screening rates worldwide. Its impact on the South Korean population is unclear, depending on socioeconomic status (SES), residence, and history of chronic disease. This study utilized data (2018-2020) from the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, an annual cross-sectional study employing nationally representative random sampling. Cancer screening rates were defined as the proportion of the eligible population who received respective cancer screening within the last 1 year and investigated four major cancers (stomach, colorectal, breast, and cervical). Screening rates every year were compared with screening rate ratios (SRRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Between 2019 and 2020, screening rates declined significantly by 23%, 17%, 12%, and 8% for colorectal cancer (SRR 0.77; 95% CI 0.73-0.82), stomach cancer (SRR 0.83; 95% CI 0.79-0.87), breast cancer (SRR 0.88; 95% CI 0.82-0.93), and cervical cancer (SRR 0.92; 95% CI 0.87-0.97), respectively. Regardless of cancer type, screening was significantly lower in metropolitan residents, those with higher SES, and, interestingly, those without a history of chronic diseases. The significant decline in cancer screening during the pandemic requires urgent political intervention to reduce the burden of future cancer incidence and mortality.

Global Association of COVID-19 Pandemic Measures With Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Public health services, including cancer screening tests, have been affected by the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic. Objective: To investigate the pandemic's association with cancer screening worldwide. Data Sources: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, databases such as PubMed, ProQuest, and Scopus were searched comprehensively for articles published between January 1, 2020, and December 12, 2021. Study Selection: Observational studies and articles that reported data from cancer registries that compared the number of screening tests performed before and during the pandemic for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Two pairs of independent reviewers extracted data from the selected studies. The weighted average of the percentage variation was calculated between the 2 periods to assess the change in the number of cancer screening tests performed during the pandemic. Stratified analysis was performed by geographic area, period, and type of setting. The systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the weighted average percentage variation in the number of screening tests performed between January and October 2020 compared with the previous period. Results: The review comprised 39 publications. There was an overall decrease of -46.7% (95% CI, -55.5% to -37.8%) for breast cancer screening, -44.9% (95% CI, -53.8% to -36.1%) for colorectal cancer screening, and -51.8% (95% CI, -64.7% to -38.9%) for cervical cancer screening during the pandemic. For all 3 cancers, a U-shaped temporal trend was identified; for colorectal cancer, a significant decrease was still apparent after May 2020 (in June to October, the decrease was -23.4% [95% CI, -44.4% to -2.4%]). Differences by geographic area and screening setting were also identified. Conclusions and Relevance: A summary estimate of the downscaling of cancer screening tests since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic is provided in this systematic review and meta-analysis. This could be associated with an increase in the number of avoidable cancer deaths. Effective interventions are required to restore the capacity of screening services to the prepandemic level.

The impact of COVID-19 on screening for colorectal, gastric, breast, and cervical cancer in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the utilization of healthcare services, including participation in cancer screening programs. We compared cancer screening participation rates for colorectal, gastric, breast, and cervical cancers among participants in the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) in 2019 and 2020 to address the potential distraction effect of COVID-19 on cancer screening. METHODS: Data from the NCSP for 4 cancer types (stomach, colorectal, breast, and cervical) in 2019 and 2020 were used to calculate cancer screening participation rates by calendar month, gender, age group, and geographical region. Monthly participation rates were analyzed per 1,000 eligible individuals. RESULTS: The screening participation rate decreased in 2020 compared to 2019 for all 4 cancers: colorectal (40.5 vs. 35.3%), gastric (61.9 vs. 54.6%), breast (63.8 vs. 55.8%), and cervical (57.8 vs. 52.2%) cancers. Following 2 major COVID-19 waves in March and December 2020, the participation rates in the 4 types of cancer screening dropped compared with those in 2019. The highest decline was observed in the elderly population aged 80 years and older (percentage change: -21% for colorectal cancer; -20% for gastric cancer; -26% for breast cancer; -20% for cervical cancer). CONCLUSIONS: After the 2 major COVID-19 waves, the screening participation rate for 4 types of cancer declined compared with 2019. Further studies are needed to identify the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer patients, such as delayed diagnoses of cancer or excess cancer deaths.

The Effects of Theory-Based Educational Intervention and WhatsApp Follow-up on Papanicolaou Smear Uptake Among Postnatal Women in Malaysia: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability and accessibility of free Papanicolaou (Pap) smear as a screening tool for cervical cancer, the uptake of Pap smear in Malaysia has not changed in the last 15 years. Previous studies have shown that the high uptake of Pap smear reduces the mortality rate of patients with cervical cancer. The low uptake of Pap smear is multifactorial, and the problem could be minimized through the use of mobile technologies. Nevertheless, most intervention studies focused on individual factors, while other important aspects such as mobile technologies, especially WhatsApp, have not been investigated yet. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the effects of a theory-based educational intervention and WhatsApp follow-up (Pap smear uptake [PSU] intervention) in improving PSU among postnatal women in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. METHODS: A 2-arm, parallel single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among postpartum women from the Seremban district. Twelve health clinics were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. At baseline, both groups received a self-administered questionnaire. The intervention group received standard care and PSU intervention delivered by a researcher. This 2-stage intervention module was developed based on Social Cognitive Theory, where the first stage was conducted face-to-face and the second stage included a WhatsApp follow-up. The control group received standard care. Participants were observed immediately and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the intervention. The primary endpoint was PSU, whereas the secondary endpoints were knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy scores for Pap smear screening self-assessed using a Google Forms questionnaire. A generalized mixed model was used to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS (version 25), and P value of .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: We analyzed 401 women, of whom 76 (response rate: 325/401, 81%) had withdrawn because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a total of 162 respondents in the intervention group and 163 respondents in the control group. The proportion of Pap smears at the 12-week follow-up was 67.9% (110/162) in the intervention group versus 39.8% (65/163) in the control group (P<.001). Significant differences between the intervention and control groups were found for Pap smear use (F4,1178; P<.001), knowledge scores (F4,1172=14.946; P<.001), attitude scores (F4,1172=24.417; P<.001), and self-efficacy scores (F1,1172=10.432; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the PSU intervention is effective in increasing the uptake of Pap smear among postnatal women in Seremban district, Malaysia. This intervention module can be tested in other populations of women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Thai Clinical Trials Registry TCTR20200205001; https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20200205001.

Impact of COVID-19 in Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening and Systemic Treatment in São Paulo, Brazil: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

PURPOSE: COVID-19 caused a disruption in cancer management around the world, resulting in an estimated excess burden secondary to screening disruption and excess lag time for treatment initiation. METHODS: We gathered information from primary reimbursement data sets of the public health system of São Paulo, Brazil, from April 2020 to November 2021, and compared these data with those of the pre-COVID-19 period. We used an interrupted time series model to estimate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rate of key procedures of breast and cervical cancer health care chain. RESULTS: We estimated that 1,149,727, 2,693, and 713,616 pap smears, conizations, and mammograms, respectively, were missed or delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with those in the years immediately before the COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions. Specifically, we observed an acute decrease of procedures after the COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions, with a trend to recovery in the long term. Regarding the systemic treatment analysis, we observed a 25% reduction in the rate of initiation of adjuvant systemic treatment for early breast cancer (stage I/II). However, we did not find a clear effect on the other settings of systemic treatment for breast cancer. We estimated an excess of 156 patients starting palliative care for cervical cancer after the COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the performance rate of pap smears, conizations, and mammograms. The initiation of adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer was most susceptible to COVID-19's health system disruption. Furthermore, the downward trend of treatment of advanced cervical cancer was interrupted. Therefore, public health policies are urgently needed to decrease the incidence of advanced cervical and breast cancers caused by delayed diagnosis and treatment initiation.The COVID-19 control policies resulted in reduction of cancer patients' delivery of care. This study evaluated the pandemic's influence in key procedures of breast and cervical cancer chain of care in São Paulo, Brazil. We observed a substantial reduction in the number of mammograms, pap smears, and conizations performed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, stage I and II breast cancer adjuvant treatment presented a reduced realization rate, whereas palliative treatment delivered for advanced cervical cancer increased. Our results support the need for public health policies focused on mitigating the long-term effects of COVID-19 in cancer-related mortality.

Changes in Cancer Screening in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Importance: Health care was disrupted in the US during the first quarter of 2020 with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early reports in selected samples suggested that cancer screening services decreased greatly, but population-based estimates of cancer screening prevalence during 2020 have not yet been reported. Objective: To examine changes in breast cancer (BC), cervical cancer (CC), and colorectal cancer (CRC) screening prevalence with contemporary national, population-based Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Design, Setting, and Participants: This survey study included respondents from the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 BRFSS surveys who were eligible for BC (women aged 50-74 years), CC (women aged 25-64 years), and CRC (women and men aged 50-75 years) screening. Data analysis was performed from September 2021 to February 2022. Exposures: Calendar year. Main Outcomes and Measures: Self-reported receipt of a recent (defined as in the past year) BC, CC, and CRC screening test. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) comparing 2020 vs 2018 prevalence and 95% CIs were computed. Results: In total, 479 248 individuals were included in the analyses of BC screening, 301 453 individuals were included in CC screening, and 854 210 individuals were included in CRC screening, In 2020, among respondents aged 50 to 75 years, 14 815 (11.4%) were Black, 12 081 (12.6%) were Hispanic, 156 198 (67.3%) were White, and 79 234 (29.9%) graduated from college (all percentages are weighted). After 4 years (2014-2018) of nearly steady prevalence, past-year BC screening decreased by 6% between 2018 and 2020 (from 61.6% in 2018 to 57.8% in 2020; aPR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.96), and CC screening decreased by 11% (from 58.3% in 2018 to 51.9% in 2020; aPR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.87-0.91). The magnitude of these decreases was greater in people with lower educational attainment and Hispanic persons. CRC screening prevalence remained steady; past-year stool testing increased by 7% (aPR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.12), offsetting a 16% decrease in colonoscopy (aPR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.82-0.88) between 2018 and 2020. Conclusions and Relevance: In this survey study, stool testing increased and counterbalanced a decrease in colonoscopy during 2020, and BC and CC screening modestly decreased. How these findings might be associated with outcomes is not yet known, but they will be important to monitor, especially in populations with lower socioeconomic status, who experienced greater screening decreases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Short-Term Impact Of COVID-19 Pandemic on Cervical Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out to assess the pooled proportion of women screened for cervical cancer before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: After ruling out registered or ongoing systematic reviews in the PROSPERO database regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in cervical cancer screening, the protocol of our systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021279305). The electronic databases were searched for articles published in English between January 2020 and October 2021and the study was designed based on PRISMA guidelines updated in 2020. Meta-analysis was accomplished in STATA version 13.0 (College Station, Texas 77,845 USA). The pooled proportion of women who had undergone cervical cancer screening was reported with 95% CI. In order to quantify the heterogeneity, Chi2 statistic (Q statistic) and I2 index were used. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included seven studies from Slovenia, Italy, Ontario (Canada), Scotland, Belgium, and the USA, comprising 403,986 women and 199,165 women who were screened for cervical cancer before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 and during the pandemic in 2020, respectively. The pooled proportion of women screened for cervical cancer in 2019 was 9.79% (95% CI 6.00%-13.59%, 95% prediction interval 0.42%-23.81%). During the pandemic, the pooled proportion of screened women declined to 4.24% (95% CI 2.77%-5.71%, 95% prediction interval 0.9%-17.49%). CONCLUSION: There was a substantial drop in the cervical cancer screening rate due to lockdowns and travel restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Scaling up cervical cancer screening strategies is essential to prevent the long-term impact of cervical cancer burden.

Qualitative evaluation of a codesigned faith-based intervention for Muslim women in Scotland to encourage uptake of breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening.

OBJECTIVES: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of a codesigned, culturally tailored, faith-based online intervention to increase uptake of breast, colorectal and cervical screening in Scottish Muslim women. The intervention was codesigned with Scottish Muslim women (n=10) and underpinned by the reframe, reprioritise and reform model and the behaviour change wheel. SETTING: The study was conducted online, using Zoom, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (n=18) taking part in the intervention and subsequently in its evaluation, were Muslim women residing in Scotland, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling from a mosque and community organisations. Participants were aged between 25 years and 54 years and of Asian and Arab ethnicity. DESIGN: The study's codesigned intervention included (1) a peer-led discussion of barriers to screening, (2) a health education session led by a healthcare provider, (3) videos of Muslim women's experiences of cancer or screening, and (4) a religious perspective on cancer screening delivered by a female religious scholar (alimah). The intervention was delivered twice online in March 2021, followed 1 week later by two focus groups, consisting of the same participants, respectively, to discuss participants' experiences of the intervention. Focus group transcripts were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Participants accepted the content and delivery of the intervention and were positive about their experience of the intervention. Participants reported their knowledge of screening had increased and shared positive views towards cancer screening. They valued the multidimensional delivery of the intervention, appreciated the faith-based perspective, and in particular liked the personal stories and input from a healthcare provider. CONCLUSION: Participatory and community-centred approaches can play an important role in tackling health inequalities in cancer and its screening. Despite limitations, the intervention showed potential and was positively received by participants. Feasibility testing is needed to investigate effectiveness on a larger scale in a full trial.