Self-collection HPV screening for West African women living with HIV
West Africa Self-Sampling HPV Based Cervical Cancer Control Program (WA-SS-HCCP) for WLWHA: Barriers, challenges, and needs
This program offers self-collected HPV tests to women living with HIV in West Africa to find high-risk HPV infections that can lead to cervical cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144332 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be given a simple kit to collect your own vaginal sample for HPV testing and return it at a local clinic. The project team will work with HIV clinics and partners in Mali and Nigeria to offer the tests, identify barriers to use, and arrange follow-up care for women with positive results. Researchers will gather feedback on acceptability, logistics, and local needs to make the program practical for routine clinics. The overall aim is to expand screening access so more women can get early detection and timely treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women living with HIV in West African settings (primarily Mali and Nigeria) who are eligible for cervical cancer screening are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People outside the study regions, those without HIV, or those already receiving regular clinician-based cervical screening are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help more women living with HIV get screened earlier and receive timely follow-up, reducing cervical cancer cases and deaths.
How similar studies have performed: Self-sampling HPV approaches have shown good accuracy and acceptability in other low-resource settings, but they have not been widely implemented specifically for women living with HIV in West Africa.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hou, Lifang — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Hou, Lifang
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.