Improving Cervical Cancer Screening in Puerto Rico
Official title: The effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of interventions to improve the delivery of cervical cancer screening in Puerto Rico.
Funded at Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr · NIH-11404903 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to see which intervention strategies help more low-income women in Puerto Rico complete cervical cancer screening and follow-up care, and whether those strategies cost less over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Juan, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $561,284 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA282424-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404903 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women in Puerto Rico who are low-income and eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, particularly those who have faced barriers to cervical cancer screening.
✕Less likely to help
Women who are not in Puerto Rico or who do not face screening barriers may see little to no direct benefit from these interventions.
What this research studies
This project tests several approaches in clinics across Puerto Rico to boost cervical cancer screening, including patient navigators and potential HPV self-sampling. It uses a four-arm randomized design to compare effectiveness, costs, and budget impact of each strategy in real-world settings. The aim is to find practical ways to reduce late-stage cancer by making screening easier to access and follow-up faster for low-income women. The research team will work with government clinics to understand how these interventions perform in practice and what it would take to scale them up.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to higher screening rates and earlier detection of cervical cancer among low-income women in Puerto Rico, potentially saving lives and reducing treatment costs.
How similar studies have gone: Prior feasibility work suggests that HPV self-sampling is acceptable, and multicomponent interventions have shown promise in other settings, though this study tests them in PR with cost and budget considerations.
Where this research is happening
-
Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr
San Juan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ortiz, Ana Patricia — Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr
- Study coordinator: Ortiz, Ana Patricia
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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mSaada: a mobile tool to boost cervical cancer screening in western Kenya
A mobile app helps community health volunteers manage cervical cancer screening tasks and follow-up for women in low-resource areas.
-
HPV self-collection in HIV care to screen for cervical cancer in Ethiopia
A patient-centered program tests a simple HPV self-collection approach within HIV clinics in Ethiopia to help detect cervical cancer earlier.
-
HOPE-inG: Increasing cervical cancer screening for women with HIV in Ghana
A study tests a home-based HPV self-sampling approach plus a tailored communication plan to help women living with HIV in Ghana get screened more often for cervical cancer.
-
CODA-based cervical cancer screening for LMICs using CRISPR and fluorescence
A low-resource, rapid test called CODA uses CRISPR and light signals to detect cervical cancer markers in women in sub-Saharan Africa to improve screening.
-
CODA-based cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings
A new, quick, low-cost test using CRISPR and fluorescence readouts to help screen for cervical cancer in women in sub-Saharan Africa.
-
CATSystem: a digital tool to boost cervical cancer screening and follow-up in Kenya
A digital tracking system helps doctors and patients in Kenya improve cervical cancer screening, treatment referrals, and follow-up, especially for women living with HIV.
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.