Developing personas and empathy maps to understand perceptions of HPV self-sampling in the Somali American Community.

Authors

Ayantu Tolessa, Rachel L Winer, Christina Bliss Barsness, Jay Desai, John Lin, Serena Xiong, Tim Ramer, Kristi Fordyce, Paul A Fishman, Megha Ramaswamy, Sophia Yohe, Rahel Ghebre, Rebekah Pratt

Published in

Patient education and counseling. Volume 153. Pages 109855. Sep 05, 2026. Epub Sep 05, 2026.

Abstract

Cervical cancer is preventable through regular screening, yet Somali American women face significant barriers that contribute to low screening rates and delayed diagnoses. This study explored Somali American women's perceptions of cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling using the Social Ecological Model (SEM) and human centered design principles of creating personas and empathy maps to better understand screening experiences.
We conducted a secondary analysis of six focus groups involving 44 Somali American women (aged 30-65) in Minnesota. This analysis explored their knowledge, experiences, and decision-making processes around cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling. In order to explore a complementary perspective on participant experience, we then developed six personas and empathy maps.
At the individual level, participants demonstrated limited knowledge and varied attitudes, with screening preferences shaped by past Pap smear experiences and a burgeoning interest in self-sampling. Interpersonally, the influence of healthcare providers and peer support emerged as critical factors. Communally, cultural and societal norms significantly impacted overall screening behavior. We identified six personas ranging from the Unfamiliar Individual to the Proactive Screener, to capture specific behaviors and needs related to HPV self-sampling.
This study highlights the diverse experiences, beliefs, and barriers that Somali American women face regarding cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling. The Socio-Ecological Model in combination with developing personas and empathy mapping, offers an approach to consider the broad range of patient experiences and the need for tailored strategies to address the diverse needs within this group.
The use of personas and empathy mapping offers a way to consider the broad range of patient experiences and could translate into clinical practice to support providers identifying a range of strategies to meet the diverse needs of community members and thoughtfully address screening disparities.

PMID:
42715625
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 10 Sep 2026.

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