Objectives To improve participation in the cervical cancer screening, a self-sampling device (SSD) has been introduced in 2017 into the Dutch population-based screening programme (PBS). The aim of this study was to gather potential preferences and experiences that might influence a woman’s decision to use the SSD in the Dutch PBS.

Methods A systematic literature research was performed in the PubMed database. Studies that assessed preferences and experiences of women regarding the SSD were included and preferences and experiences were extracted. In addition, the list of potential preferences and experiences was extended based on semi-structured interviews with SSD-users as well as not-SSD-users who recently participated in the Dutch PBS.

Results Seventy-six studies were included in the literature research and sixteen interviews were performed. Frequently mentioned preferences and experiences for (not) using the SSD were: practicality, comfort, fear of not performing the SSD procedure correctly, and doubts on whether the results of the high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) test will be reliable. New preferences and experiences elicited in the interviews were: accessibility, not being aware the SSD was an option and the inconvenience that after an hrHPV-positive test result of the SSD, an additional smear test at the GP is necessary.

Conclusions Several preferences and experiences play a role in the choice whether or not to use the SSD. Based on the currently found preferences and experiences, an app will be developed in order to assess which of these are the most important for women participating in the Dutch PBS.