Grant: Project Grant

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet many people in Ontario are not getting screened regularly. Indigenous communities face even greater challenges due to limited healthcare access, long travel distances, and a history of mistrust in the healthcare system. As a result, Indigenous women are more likely to develop and die from cervical cancer. Ontario recently introduced a new screening test that checks for human papillomavirus (hrHPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer. While this test is more effective, it's important to ensure that Indigenous communities can access it in a way that is convenient, culturally safe, and community-led. Our research will test two different ways of offering hrHPV screening in remote Indigenous communities on the western James Bay coast in Northern Ontario. In one approach, women will be able to collect their own hrHPV test at home or in the community. If their test detects the highest-risk types of the virus (HPV 16, 18/45), they will have a follow-up exam using a digital imaging tool with artificial intelligence (AI) to check for any signs of disease. The second approach follows Ontario's usual method, where women get a speculum exam from a healthcare provider, and if their hrHPV test is positive, they are referred for a standard colposcopy exam. We will work closely with communities to understand which approach works best, ensuring that Indigenous women have the best possible access to life-saving cervical cancer screening. By listening to women and healthcare providers, we aim to find practical, effective, and culturally appropriate ways to prevent cervical cancer in Indigenous communities.