Content Development for Digital Annotated HPV Primary Screening and Abnormal Screen Follow-up Pathway

In response to the World Health Organization’s global call for action to eliminate cervical cancer, together with partners across the country, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (the Partnership), developed the Action Plan for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Canada, 2020-2030 (the Action Plan). The Action Plan outlines priorities, actions, and activities towards the elimination of cervical cancer and will guide implementation of system change across Canada to achieve cervical cancer elimination targets. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis priorities and Peoples-specific actions within the Action Plan puts a focus on culturally safe cervical cancer prevention and care. An intentional focus on equity within the Action Plan helps ensure actions to eliminate cervical cancer in Canada are equitable and culturally appropriate, and that all policies and programs are developed with awareness of barriers that prevent individuals from accessing the services they need.

Preventing, identifying, and treating cancer early are essential to saving lives and are key priorities of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control 2019-2029. Most cervical cancers are caused by oncogenic strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection globally. The implementation of HPV primary screening along with standardized care pathways for timely and appropriate follow-up of individuals with abnormal screen results are key priorities of the Action Plan.

To advance actions towards the implementation of HPV primary screening and appropriate abnormal screen follow-up, the Partnership, with advice and guidance from experts within the cervical screening community, is seeking to develop content for a new digital tool that will reside on the Partnership’s website (PartnershipAgainstCancer.ca). The Digital Annotated HPV Primary Screening and Abnormal Screen Follow-up Pathway will act as a key resource to:

• Share knowledge on leading practices and resources in HPV primary screening internationally and in Canada
• Act as a one-stop shop of key insights and implementation considerations addressing partner priorities throughout HPV primary screening and abnormal screen follow-up, including considerations for partner engagement (e.g., how to work with primary care providers, laboratory service partners, First Nations, Inuit and Métis and underserved populations), enabling equitable screening, and embedding cultural competency

Objectives/Purpose

The purpose of this project is to develop a collection of resources, synthesize information, and develop key implementation considerations for provincial and territorial cancer screening programs and/or government ministries responsible for population-based cancer screening to use as they plan for and implement equitable HPV primary screening (including self-sampling) and abnormal screen follow-up within an organized cervical screening program, including:

• Operationalizing existing evidence and tools developed by partners, including those that address equity and cultural safety in HPV primary screening, as well as tools and resources developed by and for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples
• Operationalizing existing evidence provided by the Partnership (e.g., HPV Primary Screening and Abnormal Screen Follow-up Environmental Scan, colposcopy clinical practice guidelines [currently in development], and learnings from partner-funded HPV primary screening projects that include First Nations, Inuit and Métis and underserved populations)
• Collecting and summarizing additional resources to fill knowledge gaps, including resources to support change management
• Applying a lens for equity and cultural safety to help address systemic racism, colonialism, and barriers that prevent individuals from accessing the services they need
  Consulting with the Partnership’s cervical screening partners to determine information and resource needs

The deliverables from this project will form the key inputs of the annotated HPV primary screening pathway that will be digitized and published on the Partnership’s website to support jurisdictions to act on the Screening and Abnormal Screen Follow-up priorities of the Action Plan.

**Proponents should reference this RFP number (RFP No. RP410-2021-02) in the subject line of their correspondence.**

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