OBJECTIVE: To explore emotional responses, and predictors of negative reactions, among women undergoing human papillomavirus (HPV) tests in routine clinical practice. DESIGN: Exploratory qualitative interview study. SETTING: A large busy colposcopy clinic in a Dublin hospital. SAMPLE: Twenty-seven women who had had an HPV DNA test in the previous 6 months following one or more low-grade cytology tests or treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). METHODS: In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interview transcripts were analysed using a thematic approach (Framework Analysis). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women's emotional responses and predictors of negative emotional reactions. RESULTS: For most women, having a test for high-risk HPV types generated little negative or positive emotional impact. Adverse emotional responses related to HPV infection rather than testing. Factors that influenced whether women experienced negative emotional responses were: concerns over abnormal cytology or diagnosis of CIN; HPV knowledge; awareness of HPV being sexually transmitted; awareness of HPV prevalence; and HPV information needs. Women's concerns about abnormal cytology/CIN dominated all other issues. CONCLUSIONS: These qualitative data suggest that in the context of follow up of abnormal cytology or treatment for CIN, the emotional impact of HPV testing may be modest: women's primary concerns at this time relate to abnormal cytology/CIN.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
O’Connor et al. (2014) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: