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Objective <p>People with physical disability experience systemic and societal barriers to accessing cervical screening. Service providers play an important role in supporting access to cervical screening for this population. In 2017 Australia’s National Cervical Screening Program introduced the choice to self-collect using a vaginal swab, with universal access available from July 2022. This study aimed to understand service providers’ perspectives on the opportunities self-collection provides to improve access to cervical screening for people with physical disability.</p> Methods <p>Semi-structured interviews were conducted online between June and August 2023 with 22 clinical and non-clinical service providers from all States and Territories except the Northern Territory. The Updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research informed the analysis.</p> Results <p>All participants believed that self-collection was a highly acceptable option, both for people with physical disability and service providers, due to its potential to reduce anxiety and discomfort for screening participants, and the opportunities it provides to increase access to screening in non-clinical settings, including at home and in supported accommodation. To date, few services providing disability support had integrated self-collection into their practice. Key barriers to offering self-collection included confusion regarding whether cervical screening was within all provider’s scope of practice, a lack of communication between the health system and the disability sector and an absence of education and resources for providers and people with disability. Attitudes toward people with disability held by healthcare providers, such as general practitioners and other health and wellbeing services, and the quality of relationships between services were seen as either barriers or enablers depending on whether these were positive or not. Several providers expressed concern that the swab may be difficult for some people with physical and sensory disability to use, with adaptations recommended.</p> Conclusion <p>Self-collection offers opportunities to improve access to cervical screening for people with physical disability, if supported by providers who have the required knowledge and skills.</p> <p>Implementation strategies to support uptake of self-collection for people with physical disability are required at the individual, device, service, and system level.</p>

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Optimising opportunities for self-collection to improve cervical screening access for people with physical disability in Australia: a qualitative study of service provider perspectives

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月10日

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  • Kate Flynn,
  • Tessa Saunders,
  • Amelia Hyatt,
  • Claire Bavor,
  • Julia ML Brotherton,
  • Deborah Bateson,
  • Nicola S Creagh,
  • Karleen Plunkett,
  • Louise Bannister,
  • Madeleine Clarke,
  • Natalie Taylor,
  • Paula Jops,
  • Allison Cummins,
  • Angela Kelly-Hanku,
  • Megan Smith,
  • Claire Nightingale

摘要

Objective

People with physical disability experience systemic and societal barriers to accessing cervical screening. Service providers play an important role in supporting access to cervical screening for this population. In 2017 Australia’s National Cervical Screening Program introduced the choice to self-collect using a vaginal swab, with universal access available from July 2022. This study aimed to understand service providers’ perspectives on the opportunities self-collection provides to improve access to cervical screening for people with physical disability.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted online between June and August 2023 with 22 clinical and non-clinical service providers from all States and Territories except the Northern Territory. The Updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research informed the analysis.

Results

All participants believed that self-collection was a highly acceptable option, both for people with physical disability and service providers, due to its potential to reduce anxiety and discomfort for screening participants, and the opportunities it provides to increase access to screening in non-clinical settings, including at home and in supported accommodation. To date, few services providing disability support had integrated self-collection into their practice. Key barriers to offering self-collection included confusion regarding whether cervical screening was within all provider’s scope of practice, a lack of communication between the health system and the disability sector and an absence of education and resources for providers and people with disability. Attitudes toward people with disability held by healthcare providers, such as general practitioners and other health and wellbeing services, and the quality of relationships between services were seen as either barriers or enablers depending on whether these were positive or not. Several providers expressed concern that the swab may be difficult for some people with physical and sensory disability to use, with adaptations recommended.

Conclusion

Self-collection offers opportunities to improve access to cervical screening for people with physical disability, if supported by providers who have the required knowledge and skills.

Implementation strategies to support uptake of self-collection for people with physical disability are required at the individual, device, service, and system level.