A Community Based Approach to Preventing Cervical Cancer

This three-phase project seeks to assess the current state of cervical cancer screening in immigrant communities, explore community knowledge and attitudes related to cervical cancer, and develop community-generated solutions to improve screening uptake. Using a mixed-methods approach, the project examines barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening through close collaboration with community partners, ensuring that findings reflect lived experiences and local contexts.

Guided by these insights, community and academic partners will co-design and implement educational and screening interventions. Educational materials will address the fundamentals of cervical cancer and current prevention strategies, including recommended screening and vaccination practices, and will be widely disseminated within Hispanic and Black immigrant communities in Rochester to increase awareness. In parallel, the project will evaluate the feasibility of a community-based screening intervention utilizing newly FDA-approved vaginal HPV self-collection to support screening completion and reduce access barriers.

Funding

Mayo Clinic