Introduction/Background Despite the development of a national population-based cervical cancer screening program in 2006 by the Polish Ministry of Health, the National Health Fund and the Polish Gynecological Society, following World Health Organization and International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO/IARC) guidelines, percentage of women performing the test in Poland is still unsatisfactorily low.

The aim of this study was to evaluate women's interest in participation in cervical cancer screening program based on HPV testing of self-sampled specimen.

Methodology It was a cross-sectional study with data collected via online distribution of surveys among women aged 17–68 years old. Designed questions regarded prophylactic behavior, interest in new method of screening, women's fears and considerations of proposed self-sampling method.

Results Altogether 1158 answers were obtained. Main reported reasons for undersceening included: no regular gynecologic control (32.7%), feeling ashamed of visiting gynecologic office (26.9%), anxiety associated with gynecological examination (22.8%). Sixty-seven percent of women with no history of cervical screening expressed positive interest in participation in self-sampling program. More than 40% of ladies in this group admitted decrease in anxiety and 70% reported decrease in feeling ashamed of the examination due to different specimen collection method. Over one third of women regularly visiting gynecologist's office was also willing to substitute collection of specimen by a healthcare professional with self-sampling as in case of 90% of respondents this would be more convenient.

Conclusion Introduction of population-based screening cervical cancer program using self-sampling of specimen could be an effective way of increasing cervical screening coverage among women in Poland as reported patients' interest is encouraging.

Disclosure Nothing to disclose