Summary of effect sizes and meta-analyses
| Outcome | Study type | Effect sizes (n) | RR* | 95% CI | P value for RR | Q-value | P value for Q statistic | I-squared |
| Uptake of cervical cancer screening services | ||||||||
| Overall | RCTs | 29 | 2.130 | 1.891 to 2.399 | 0.000 | 4347.807 | 0.000 | 99.356 |
| HPV self-sampling kit dissemination strategy | ||||||||
| Opt-out: self-sampling kit directly mailed home | RCTs | 23 | 2.265 | 1.892 to 2.710 | 0.000 | 3031.141 | 0.000 | 99.274 |
| Opt-out: self-sampling kit offered door-to-door by health worker | RCTs | 5 | 2.372 | 1.119 to 5.029 | 0.024 | 1450.554 | 0.000 | 99.724 |
| Opt-in: self-sampling kit on demand | RCTs | 5 | 1.280 | 0.902 to 1.817 | 0.167 | 243.762 | 0.000 | 98.359 |
| Opt-in: self-sample in clinic | RCT | * | 0.928 | 0.509 to 1.690 | – | – | – | – |
| World Bank country classification | ||||||||
| High-income | RCTs | 26 | 2.244 | 1.860 to 2.707 | 0.000 | 3948.847 | 0.000 | 99.367 |
| Low-income and middle-income | RCTs | 3 | 1.539 | 1.013 to 2.341 | 0.044 | 127.095 | 0.000 | 98.426 |
| Setting | ||||||||
| Urban | RCTs | 13 | 2.086 | 1.537 to 2.831 | 0.000 | 1525.620 | 0.000 | 99.213 |
| Rural | RCTs | 4 | 1.401 | 1.135 to 1.730 | 0.002 | 29.110 | 0.000 | 89.694 |
| Mixed urban/rural | RCTs | 12 | 1.963 | 1.453 to 2.652 | 0.000 | 1519.110 | 0.000 | 99.276 |
| Age group | ||||||||
| <50 years old | RCTs | 12 | 1.948 | 1.609 to 2.360 | 0.000 | 1146.416 | 0.000 | 99.040 |
| ≥50 years old | RCTs | 11 | 2.246 | 1.440 to 3.504 | 0.000 | 1214.770 | 0.000 | 99.177 |
| Socioeconomic status | ||||||||
| Low socioeconomic status | RCTs | 4 | 1.622 | 1.153 to 2.283 | 0.005 | 79.763 | 0.000 | 96.239 |
| High socioeconomic status | RCTs | 3 | 1.400 | 1.147 to 1.709 | 0.001 | 2.764 | 0.251 | 27.648 |
| Supervision for self-collection of samples | ||||||||
| Supervised | RCTs | 2 | 2.214 | 1.799 to 2.725 | 0.000 | 2889.432 | 0.000 | 99.100 |
| Unsupervised | RCTs | 27 | 1.633 | 0.739 to 3.608 | 0.225 | 48.558 | 0.000 | 97.941 |
| Linkage to clinical assessment or treatment after receiving a positive screening result | ||||||||
| Overall | RCTs | 6 | 1.118 | 0.797 to 1.569 | 0.519 | 31.566 | 0.000 | 84.160 |
| World Bank country classification | ||||||||
| High-income | RCTs | 5 | 0.941 | 0.779 to 1.136 | 0.526 | 28.642 | 0.000 | 86.034 |
| Low-income and middle-income | RCT | * | 0.658 | 0.434 to 0.997 | – | – | – | – |
*Relative risk (risk ratio) comparing self-collection with provider collection of samples for cervical cancer screening.
RCT, randomised controlled trial.