Mansfield awarded NIH K23 grant to improve cervical cancer screening access in rural North Carolina

A woman with curly hair, wearing a light blue blazer and black top, stands smiling outdoors in front of a modern glass building. — *Lisa Mansfield, PhD, MSN, RN*

Lisa Mansfield, PhD, MSN, RN, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, has been awarded a K23 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The funding will support her project, “Uniting Trusted Community Messengers to Improve Access to Cervical Cancer Screening in Rural North Carolina,” with funding to begin immediately.

The project addresses inequities in cervical cancer screening access among racial and ethnic minoritized women living in rural areas, where complex barriers often result in delayed screening and late-stage diagnoses. Dr. Mansfield’s research will explore the use of human papillomavirus self-collection (HPVSC) kits and community-based strategies to reduce screening barriers and improve follow-up care.

The study aims to develop and test a multi-level, community-engaged intervention that connects community-based organizations (CBOs) and community health workers (CHWs) to increase access to cervical cancer screening and enhance navigation for follow-up among women in a high-risk, rural county in North Carolina.

Dr. Mansfield’s project team includes:

Dr. Shawn Kneipp, Professor, UNC School of Nursing
Dr. Melissa Gilkey, Assistant Professor, Gillings School of Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill
Dr. Alexandra Lightfoot, Associate Professor, Gillings School of Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill
Dr. Jennifer Smith, Professor, Gillings School of Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill

The one-group intervention study will recruit 100 participants from a rural North Carolina county. Local CBOs will serve as HPVSC kit distribution sites, while CHWs will collaborate with them to guide participants through specimen collection, kit return, result notification, and clinic-based follow-up for women who test HPV-positive.

The study will apply selected domains from the RE-AIM framework to assess feasibility and acceptability outcomes, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to evaluate participants’ and partners’ experiences. Findings will provide insight into community-engaged strategies to improve access to cervical cancer screening and reduce health inequities in rural areas.