SMS Messaging for Invitation in the Cervical Cancer Screening Programme

A study on two different methods of invitation to participate to the cervical cancer screening programme will be conducted within a demonstration project to switch from cytology-based screening to HPV-based screening using self-sampling delivered through the network of pharmacy offices among regular screening attendants in the Barcelona Metropolitana Sud Area, in Catalonia. At the moment, eligible women are invited to participate to cervical cancer screening via a telephone call invitation explaining the new self-sampling method. Invitation via SMS containing a link to a webpage with information on most frequent questions might be an adequate alternative method that would save costs and workload on human resources. The aim of this study is to assess the impact on cervical cancer screening participation of an invitation method based on text messaging (SMS). The invitation method will be evaluated through an interventional trial, in which we will compare the invitation to cervical cancer screening using SMS versus a telephone call invitation explaining the new self-sampling method.