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HPV Equity Study: Exploring Cervical Cancer Control in Scotland for Women With Experience of Priority Risks

NCT06414057 · Status: RECRUITING · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 500

Last updated 2026-04-08

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Individuals with experience of homelessness, substance use/addiction, transactional sex, and incarceration experience significant health inequities across a wide range of health conditions. This inequity includes cervical cancer with individuals in these populations less engaged with both routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening programmes, yet also at higher risk of developing cervical cancer.

Opportunistic vaccination is recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation for 'other at risk/vulnerable groups' who may benefit (such as people with experience of transactional sex or incarceration) at clinical discretion. However, there is limited evidence on the feasibility, uptake, attitudes and impact of vaccination in these at-risk groups and no nationally funded programme.

This mixed methods exploratory study seeks to generate evidence to inform the optimal service design. Core objectives are to: 1) assess the feasibility and acceptability of offering opportunistic HPV vaccination during standard sexual health care to women at high risk of HPV and cervical cancer; 2) identify the type-specific prevalence of HPV among recruited participants; and 3) describe participants' perceptions and experiences of accessing routine HPV vaccination and cervical screening services, and/or this opportunistic (research) service.

The investigators will seek to recruit women with experience of homelessness, substance use/addiction, transactional sex, and incarceration. The study will include trans-men and non-binary people at risk of cervical cancer with the same risk experiences. Potential participants will be identified prospectively via attendance at specialist sexual health services in Scotland.

Participants will be offered HPV vaccination and testing, and/or an in-depth research interview. Participation can be completed within one clinic visit. The full vaccination course is available via participation (min/max does spacing 6/12 months) and participants testing positive for high-risk type HPV can/will be followed up in full and supported in accessing treatment.

Conditions

Interventions

OTHER

Offering opportunistic HPV vaccine during routine sexual health clinic visits

Investigators will offer Gardasil-9 and HPV self-swab screening to up to 500 individuals across the three study sites, aiming to recruit 120-180 individuals within each of the three participating health boards over a 6-9 month timeframe. Participants will be asked to provide a vaginal swab sample for baseline HPV testing.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Edinburgh

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Christine Campbell · University of Edinburgh

Eligibility

Min Age
25 Years
Max Age
45 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-07-07
Primary Completion
2026-04-30
Completion
2026-10-31

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06414057 on ClinicalTrials.gov