Cancer Tracking System to improve cervical cancer screening and follow-up in Kenya
Implementing and Evaluating the Cancer Tracking System (CATSystem): A systems level intervention to improve Cervical Cancer screening, treatment referral and follow up in Kenya
This project uses a web-based tracking tool to help more women in Kenya get timely cervical cancer screening, referrals, and follow-up care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11381491 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a woman seeking care at participating clinics in Kenya, the team will use the CATSystem, a web-based tool co-designed with patients and providers, to track screening results, generate guideline-based reminders, and prompt referrals or treatment. The system runs algorithms to flag women who need onsite treatment or off-site referral and supports active follow-up to reduce loss to care. The team piloted the tool in a Kenyan hospital and saw much higher rates of treatment and referral compared to before the pilot. This project expands use of the CATSystem across more clinics and compares outcomes to usual care to see if more women complete recommended screening and treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are women in Kenya who are eligible for cervical cancer screening, especially those living with HIV or women referred for treatment after a positive screen.
Not a fit: People who are not eligible include men, women outside the participating Kenyan clinics, or women who have already completed or finished treatment for cervical cancer, who will not benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more women would complete screening and receive timely treatment, lowering preventable cervical cancer and deaths.
How similar studies have performed: Other eHealth tracking approaches have improved retention in low-resource settings, and the CATSystem pilot showed a 2.5–5-fold increase in onsite treatment and referrals compared to the prior period.
Where this research is happening
Kansas City, United States
- University of Kansas Medical Center — Kansas City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kessler, Sarah Finocchario — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kessler, Sarah Finocchario
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.