TY - JOUR ID - 89587 TI - Community-based Mobile Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Rural India: Successes and Challenges for Implementation JO - Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention JA - APJCP LA - en SN - 1513-7368 AU - Srinivas, Vijaya AU - Herbst de Cortina, Sasha AU - Nishimura, Holly AU - Krupp, Karl AU - Jayakrishna, Poornima AU - Ravi, Kavitha AU - Khan, Anisa AU - Madhunapantula, SubbaRao V AU - Madhivanan, Purnima AD - Public Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, India. AD - Public Health Research Institute of India, Mysore, India. AD - Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. AD - Division of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. Y1 - 2021 PY - 2021 VL - 22 IS - 5 SP - 1393 EP - 1400 KW - cancer screening KW - Cervical cancer KW - Community Outreach KW - Mobile Clinic DO - 10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.5.1393 N2 - Background: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility; mention the challenges encountered and highlight the success of implementing a community-based mobile cervical cancer-screening program in rural India. Methods: Communities were mobilized through extensive peer education and by screening in existing community spaces using a mobile clinic model. An initial “screen and treat” protocol was transitioned to “screen, test, and treat” using Pap smears for confirmatory testing, and cryotherapy or Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) for treatment. We trained 50 Peer Educators and conducted 190 screening camps in 58 locations. Results: Of 3,821 registered women, 3,544 (92.8%) accepted screening. Overall, 440/3544 (12.4%, 95% CI 11.3-13.5%) women had VIA-positive lesions. Under “screen and treat”, 56/156 (35.9%) women accepted same-day treatment. Under “screen, test, and treat”, 555/762 (72.8%) women received a Pap smear. Overall, 83 women underwent cryotherapy (n=56) and LEEP (n=27). Of those, 49 (59.0%) participants were followed up, with normal VIA results up to two years after treatment. In summary, the peer educators promoted awareness of cervical cancer and helped in gaining buy-in from communities. Acceptance of same-day treatment was low and accompanied by loss to follow-up, limiting the utility of VIA in these studies. Conclusions: Mobile infrastructure utilized in community spaces brought screening directly to rural women. Culturally appropriate methods to increase linkage to treatment and additional screening options such as HPV DNA testing should be explored. UR - https://journal.waocp.org/article_89587.html L1 - https://journal.waocp.org/article_89587_07a2e9bc525ce17e89ccd9af21ead0d5.pdf ER -