Grant: Op. Grant: NWHRI: Innovation Fund - Healthcare implementation research

Inequities in cervical cancer outcomes persist globally and within countries, including Canada, where Indigenous women face disproportionate risks. Human Papillomavirus is the most common cause of cervical cancer and testing for HPV is a proven way of learning which women need further screening. To address this, we propose a comprehensive HPV DNA-based program aimed at understanding and overcoming barriers to cervical cancer screening in remote Indigenous communities in Ontario. Our approach prioritizes community engagement and participatory research, ensuring Indigenous women's voices shape every aspect of program development and implementation. Through different forms of community-based research, we'll collaborate closely with women and community members to identify attitudes, barriers, and facilitators to screening in order to understand community perspectives and voices that can help to develop strategies for increasing uptake for cervical cancer screening especially through women undergoing vaginal self-sampling to test for HPV-DNA. Drawing on insights from community consultations, we'll co-design strategies for a community-based cervical cancer screening program with Indigenous community members and healthcare providers. These strategies may encompass mobile screening clinics, culturally relevant education, capacity-building for local healthcare providers, and integrating traditional healing practices into screening services. By centering Indigenous knowledge and values, our program aims to empower communities and Indigenous health systems in improving population health and reducing cervical cancer disparities. Together, we can work towards equity-driven cervical cancer elimination strategies that ensure Indigenous women benefit similarly to other populations globally.