Kupewa: Optimizing implementation strategies for cervical cancer prevention

Cervical cancer prevention is critical for cancer control. Many countries have introduced national cervical cancer prevention programs but coverage of key recommended prevention tools remains very low. Supporting guideline-based prevention strategies is an important way to improve cancer control. The Kupewa project (“prevent” in Chichewa) aims to (A) identify the optimal implementation strategies for increasing cervical cancer prevention for people who are living with HIV; (B) refine this set of optimized strategies by including information about the strategies’ implementability; and (C) ultimately identify the set of strategies that are effective, implementable, and show sustained effects. To our knowledge, this would be among the first applications of intervention optimization alongside implementation science. The project will leverage a robust research partnership between institutions and highly-qualified investigators. Implementation strategies for cancer prevention are understudied but urgently needed to accelerate cancer control globally.