DIY cervical checks boost uptake by 50 per cent among those who otherwise miss tests

DIY cervical checks boost uptake by 50 per cent among those who otherwise miss tests DIY cervical screening kits boost uptake by more than 50 per cent, among those who otherwise fail to have the checks, trials show. Research on almost 20,000 patients who had not been screened for the disease for at least three years found that they were far more likely to do so if they could do the tests at home.

The US trial, which involved self-sampling kits sent by post, follows a “gamechanging” British study.
This found that home urine tests for cervical cancer were more accurate than smear tests, as well as more popular among women. Take-up of cervical screening in the UK is the lowest for 21 years, with almost one in three women failing to respond to invitations. Experts fear embarrassment and a dislike of intrusive checks is deterring many women from undergoing checks at their GP surgeries. The Telegraph