{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T06:29:49Z","timestamp":1773124189339,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773014400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["GNT201490"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GNT201490"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["GNT201578"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GNT201578"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004752","name":"Victorian Government","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["MCRF21039"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MCRF21039"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004752","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2009380"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2009380"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["GNT2030732"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GNT2030732"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Australian Government Training Program Scholarship"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001774","name":"University of Sydney","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001774","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Since July 2022, Australian guidelines have recommended that anyone eligible for cervical screening be offered a choice between using a self-collected vaginal sample or a clinician-collected cervical sample for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing. This study explored cervical screening among 555 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and people with a cervix, 261 who had screened since the policy change (\u2018recently screened\u2019). Participants were recruited for an online survey between December-2023 and April-2024. Over half of recently screened participants were offered a choice of collection methods (n\u2009=\u2009151, 58%). Of those offered the choice, 67% chose to screen using self-collection (n\u2009=\u2009101). In total, 46% (n\u2009=\u2009118) of recently screened participants used self-collection, either themselves at home (n\u2009=\u200941, 35%) or the clinic (n\u2009=\u200948, 41%) or assisted by a healthcare provider without a speculum (n\u2009=\u200929, 24%). Among those who collected their own sample (n\u2009=\u200989), the main reasons were it was less embarrassing, they felt in control of their body, and it was less scary. However, only 55% of these participants felt they had enough information to make an informed decision between collection methods. Over half of recently screened participants reported having a clinician-collected sample with a speculum (n\u2009=\u2009133, 51%). The majority were not offered a choice of collection method (61%, n\u2009=\u200981), however 38% (n\u2009=\u200950) were and chose a clinician-collected sample. The main reasons for choosing a clinician-collected sample included always having had it done by a healthcare provider, wanting the healthcare provider to have a look or believing the healthcare provider would collect a better sample. This study highlights a preference for HPV self-collection among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and people with a cervix, including those who already participate in cervical screening. It reinforces the importance of offering all eligible participants a choice of collection methods and supporting informed decision-making.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0326551","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T17:33:36Z","timestamp":1773077616000},"page":"e0326551","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Experiences of HPV self-collection among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and people with a cervix"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2114-1577","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Louise E.","family":"Mitchell","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emily","family":"Phillips","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chloe J.","family":"Jennett","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7981-7878","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Claire","family":"Bavor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tessa","family":"Saunders","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Claire","family":"Nightingale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Megan A.","family":"Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lisa J.","family":"Whop","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"name":"on behalf of Screen Your Way Investigator Team","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0326551.ref001","volume-title":"2022 Cervical Cancer Elimination Progress Report: Australia\u2019s progress towards the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem","author":"NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Cervical Cancer Control","year":"2022"},{"key":"pone.0326551.ref002","volume-title":"Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2020"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0326551.ref003","article-title":"The projected timeframe until cervical cancer elimination in Australia: a modelling study","volume":"4","author":"MT Hall","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0326551.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106314","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ypmed.2020.106314","article-title":"Achieving cervical cancer elimination among Indigenous women","volume":"144","author":"LJ Whop","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prev Med"},{"key":"pone.0326551.ref005","volume-title":"National Cervical Screening Program Monitoring Report 2024","author":"Australian Institute of Health and Welfare","year":"2024"},{"key":"pone.0326551.ref006","volume-title":"Significant events in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination practice in Australia 2023","author":"National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance","year":"2023"},{"key":"pone.0326551.ref007","unstructured":"National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance. 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