Abstract 71: Regional College Women in the United States (U.S.) Report Low Health Literacy Regarding Basic Genital Biology and Cervical Cancer Risk Factors

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Oncogenic genital diseases, triggered by genital dysbiosis and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, can be prevented by improved health literacy in women. However, uptake of preventative strategies such as the HPV vaccine, are low in some U.S. communities (<50%). This study evaluated health literacy (language framing for and understanding of) basic genital biology and cervical cancer risk factors in U.S. college women. Methods: English-speaking undergraduates (n=36) at public (mostly Texas) and private (mostly California) institutions, self-directed to participate in individual, structured interviews via video or phone. Data transcripts were analyzed and scored for thematic responses to open-ended questions. Results: Over 80% of women wanted to know more about genital biology (“what is normal”) and cancer prevention. Individual understanding of genital biology and cervical cancer risk factors was low (scoring range from 0 = know nothing to 5 = understanding a lot). Knowledge (mean +/- SD) about normal vaginal bacterial physiology, and cervical cancer risk factors, both scored very low at only 1 +/- 1. Over 2/3 of women lacked the words and/or agency to describe genital symptoms without stress to healthcare providers. About 1/3 of women had no ability to list any cervical cancer risk factors, with most in this group not recalling any prior genital health education. Recurrent barriers to improved health literacy included: 1) belief that information lacked pertinence to them based on faith or culture, 2) inhibited care-seeking due to privacy issues (e.g. family insurance or campus clinics), 3) misinformation about genital biology or cancer causes, and 4) poor willingness or opportunity to discuss genital health with providers. The most requested change to genital healthcare was a desire for a biology curriculum taught from a functional perspective (for greater accessibility across faiths and cultures) with closer implementation to college and sexual debut. Conclusions: Knowledge of genital biology and cervical cancer risks was low in this group of U.S. college women (mean score 1/5 for some aspects). Prevention of genital cancers requires a multi-pronged approach that addresses genital biology, while accepting varied social determinants of health and diverse domains of influence for women across the U.S. Citation Format: Joanna Ellington, Dennis Clifton, Jenny Fremlin, Erisa Stokes, Jessica Shuster. Regional College Women in the United States (U.S.) Report Low Health Literacy Regarding Basic Genital Biology and Cervical Cancer Risk Factors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Closing the Research-to-Implementation Gap; 2023 Apr 4-6. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 71.