Multicenter Trial of a Modified Pap Test to Improve Cervical Cancer Screening Participation in Women Aged 25 and Older

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a new approach to Pap smear screening to improve cervical cancer screening participation among women aged 25 and above. This multicenter randomized controlled trial applies the peak-end concept by adding a non-painful step at the end of the Pap test. The study is the first to examine whether this modified Pap test can increase participation rates in cervical cancer screening and reduce recalled pain related to the procedure. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either the traditional Pap test or a modified version where, after sample collection, the speculum remains fixed in place for 15 seconds before removal. This additional step is designed to be non-painful and is performed behind a privacy curtain. All operators follow standardized procedures, and the study includes blinding of participants and cytopathologists to group assignments. The trial plans to recruit at least 248 women across multiple centers in the NTUH Healthcare System, with half receiving the modified test. During the study, participants provide written informed consent and undergo interviews to collect health, lifestyle, and psychological information. Measurements include anxiety scores, pain ratings at various time points, and medical history. Researchers will analyze cervical cancer screening participation at 1 and 3 years, along with real-time and recalled pain scores. The study includes careful monitoring and statistical analyses to assess the effect of the intervention on screening uptake and pain perception over time.

Ameliorated Pap Tests and Cervical Cancer Screening Participation