What if women didn’t have to face the arduous travel and cultural stigma that prevents her from accessing HPV testing?
Cervical cancer is the first cancer we’re likely to eliminate in our lifetimes. But to do so, we need to catch it early — and across the Asia-Pacific region, structural, cultural and logistical barriers prevent that from happening. Most cervical cancers occur in women who have never been screened, or aren’t screened enough1.
The biggest challenge is inequitable access. Women in remote or underserved communities — especially in lower-income economies — often have to travel long distances to specialised clinics. Women’s healthcare may not be available at all in local primary care settings. Cervical cancer screening services in higher-income economies globally have seven times’ higher coverage than in lower-income economies2.
These gaps are a deterrent to regular screening. They create a curative, rather than a preventative mindset: many women only seek medical attention once symptoms become visible, at which point the opportunity for life-saving intervention may have passed.
To close this gap, we must rethink how and where diagnostic care is delivered — meeting women where they are, rather than the other way around.
Multiple barriers prevent women from accessing HPV screening
In the Asia-Pacific context, the barriers to screening are often as emotional as they are physical. Cultural taboos surrounding reproductive health and invasive examinations can create high levels of anxiety, leading many women to avoid traditional screenings altogether2. In some communities, the fear of judgement or the discomfort of a clinical exam is enough to end the diagnostic journey before it begins.
A lack of culturally relevant education also means that cervical cancer is often misunderstood. A study of 428 women in Bangkok, Thailand, found that two thirds (65.4%) of women reported having ever been screened, but just 19.1% adhered to regular screening intervals. The most common barriers to screening were the absence of symptoms (54.7%) and fear of the procedure (42.1%). Only 31.8% correctly identified HPV as the cause of cervical cancer3.
Without a clear understanding that cervical cancer is highly preventable with regular HPV tests, the psychological burden of a screening can feel overwhelming — further distancing women from the healthcare systems meant to protect them.
HPV self-collection gives women agency
HPV self-collection can address these challenges. Allowing women to collect their own samples in a private, comfortable setting removes the most anxiety-inducing element of screening. It respects cultural norms, offering a non-invasive and neutral alternative that removes the stigma barrier. And it moves screening out of the clinic and into the community, so we can reach underserved populations who were previously invisible to the health system.
Self-collection isn’t intended to replace obstetricians or gynecologists, but to improve uptake of life-saving diagnostics. In Malaysia, almost 90% of women surveyed approved of the ability to self-collect an HPV test4. And in Australia, self-collection led to increases in the proportion of women aged 35-39 who had at least one HPV test, even in remote and disadvantaged areas5.
Eliminating cervical cancer requires a three-pronged approach
We can only eliminate cervical cancer if access, education, and cultural context are all prioritised together. That means raising awareness of the importance of regular screening. It means educating women on the link between HPV and cervical cancer. It means understanding the cultural stigma that prevents so many women from accessing the diagnostic care she needs — and giving her culturally neutral options, embedded into clinical workflows.
Ultimately, empowering women with tools like self-collection gives her earlier answers, more control over her treatment and more confidence in the care system. When we dismantle the barriers to early detection, we can ensure that no woman — no matter where she lives — is left behind.
We can’t eliminate cervical cancer without raising awareness. That starts here. Please help to spread the word, by liking, commenting or reposting this article. Thank you.
