HPV: impact on sex and relationships
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The psychosexual impact of testing positive for high-risk cervical human papillomavirus – a qualitative study.
IRAS ID
264256
Contact name
Julia Bailey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2019/04/92, Data Protection Registration Number
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
It is well-established that virtually all cervical cancers are caused by infection with a high-risk type of human papillomavirus (HPV), a commonly occurring sexually transmitted infection. Most cervical screening programmes in developed countries currently use cytology to detect cervical abnormalities, however research suggests HPV testing is a better way of identifying woman at risk of cervical cancer. In England the NHS Cervical Screening Programme is currently rolling this out.
Because of the sexually transmitted nature of HPV, testing positive for the virus may have an impact on sex and relationships. An essential criterion for any screening programme is that the overall benefits should outweigh the harms (9); therefore it is important to understand and address any impact on sex and relationships testing HPV positive (HPV+) may have, particularly as there will be large numbers of women receiving an HPV+ result.
We will conduct in-depth semi-structured interviews with women who have tested HPV+ in the context of cervical screening. The study will be advertised on the Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust website. We will also recruit participants from Primary Care practices in North West London. We aim to recruit 20-30 women varying in age, relationship status and cytology result (normal/abnormal) to gain a range of views and experiences.
Interviews will be arranged at a convenient time and location for the participant. Participants will be asked to give written consent before the interview begins. A topic guide will be used to guide the interviews, which will be audio-recorded and are expected to last for ~1 hour. Participants will be asked to complete a short demographics questionnaire after the interview. Participants will receive a £40 Love2shop voucher for taking part in the study.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1762
Date of REC Opinion
22 Nov 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion