The dissertation defense will be open and held virtually.
This event has passed. The written dissertation or abstract is available by clicking the link below.
The PhD in Translational Health Sciences Program is proud to announce the Dissertation Defense of:
PhD Candidate: Shahnaz Khan, MPH
Evaluating the Uptake of Cotesting and Guideline Adherent Cervical Cancer Screening and Reported Barriers to Guideline Adherence in Academic and Community Practice Settings: A Mixed Methods Study
Dissertation Committee Chair: Philip van der Wees, PhD, PT
December 5, 2022, 10-12:00pm ET
For average-risk women aged 30-65 years, screening guidelines for the early detection and prevention of cervical cancer recommend the use of cotesting, a screening test that combines cytology (i.e., pap smear) with the HPV test at 5-year intervals. These evidence-based guidelines have been widely endorsed by national medical and professional organizations since 2012, yet there is little data available on the uptake of cotesting and adherence to the extended screening interval by providers. The purpose of this explanatory mixed-methods study was to evaluate the uptake of cotesting and adherence to the screening interval in the GW MFA health system since 2012. Determinants at the patient, provider and practice level were examined through a multivariable logistic regression to determine their association with guideline adherent screening and cotesting. These data were further examined in the qualitative phase of the study through semi-structured interviews with academic and community practice providers who conduct cervical cancer screening to understand barriers faced to screening in practice. Finally, through integration of the qualitative and quantitative findings, this study used what was learned from the qualitative phase to explain the findings of the quantitative study. The results of this study highlighted barriers to the implementation of population-based screening guidelines for cervical cancer and provided recommendations for future researchers to address at a system and policy level.