Barriers to HPV testing and cervical screening, and advantages of self-sampling, in trans men and non-binary people
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Barriers to HPV testing and cervical screening, and advantages of self-sampling, in trans men and non-binary people

Amy Louise O’Connor Community staff nurse, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, England
Stuart Roberts Senior lecturer, Faculty of Health and Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To be aware of the barriers to human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for trans men and non-binary people

  • To understand the advantages of self-sampling in terms of increasing HPV testing and cervical screening

  • To consider how you could enhance your practice when caring for trans men and non-binary people

Some types of human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cancer and most cervical cancers are caused by untreated HPV infection. Screening for cervical cancer is undertaken via HPV primary screening. However, trans men who are registered with their GP as male but have a cervix are not routinely invited for screening. The authors of this article conducted a literature review to explore the barriers that trans men and non-binary people face in accessing HPV testing and cervical screening, and the advantages of cervical self-sampling in these population groups. Findings from the six articles included in the review are presented alongside recommendations for healthcare providers on how to be more inclusive and enhance the care of trans men and non-binary people in relation to HPV testing and cervical screening.

Cancer Nursing Practice. doi: 10.7748/cnp.2025.e1876

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

amylouiseemail96@gmail.com

Conflict of interest

None declared

O’Connor AL, Roberts S (2025) Barriers to HPV testing and cervical screening, and advantages of self-sampling, in trans men and non-binary people. Cancer Nursing Practice. doi: 10.7748/cnp.2025.e1876

Published online: 27 March 2025

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