Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Self-collection based HPV testing for cervical cancer screening among women living with 
HIV in Uganda: A descriptive analysis of knowledge, intentions to screen and factors associated 
with HPV positivity  
 
Version: 0 Date: 04 Nov 2015 
 
Reviewer:  Theo  Nwankwo  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Reviewer comment  
 
Minor Corrections  
 
Abstract: the conclusion in your abstract is not quit reflective of your objectives. Modify to 
project the conclusion from your result.  
 
Methods: you st ated that those that tested positive for gonorrhea were given antibiotics and 
counseled but in your result you noted that none of the participant tested positive for gonorrhea. 
You may need to expunge the issue of testing for STI and focus on screening for  HPV  
 
Last page under methods: is it ''been'' or ''being'' that is appropriate?  
 
Why did you have to invite participants outside their normal scheduled appointment for HIV care 
to just for self collection of specimen? I am concerned because the decline rate of more than 50% 
questions the acceptability and convenience of such projected screening method to your 
population irrespective of the reasons for non -participation. Though you recommended 
integration of self collection of sample for HPV screening into HIV  care, the design of you study 
missed the opportunity to determine if such method shall be highly or embraced if made part of 
HIV care  
 
 
Results: Line 44: unaware aware needs to be corrected  
 
In the last page of result line 41 -47; could those fractions be acc ompanied by percentages in 
bracket?  
 
What are the limitation of your research and recommendations? Will screening for HPV be really 
cost effective in developing countries where most governments depend on NGOs for service 
deliveries in HIV care and sponsorsh ip have been on the decline?  
 
Tables:  
 
Table 1: under marital status, I wondered the reason for inclusion of common law as option, it 
appears more legalistic, and I suggest it should be subsumed into married group.  
 
The p value reported in your table 3 under  contraceptive use and blood work up and table 4 are  
discordant, please reconcile. What is the reference in that table referring to; could it be made 
clearer for a reader? The confidence interval is a range. I suggest ( -) to replace (,)  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, pl ease specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by t he data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify  what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publica tion of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other fin ancial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give detail s below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
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