Awareness Of Human Papillomavirus Research Articles

Knowledge towards human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and attitude towards its vaccine in the Kingdom of Bahrain: cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo determine the level of awareness of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and to assess attitudes towards receiving the vaccine among men and women in Bahrain.DesignA cross-sectional study. An interview-based...

Factors Related to Chinese Parents' HPV Vaccination Intention for Children.

Objectives: Successful human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine delivery depends heavily on parents' attitudes, perceptions, and willingness to have their children vaccinated. In this study, we assessed parental knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about the HPV vaccine, and examine factors associated with willingness to have eligible children receive HPV vaccination. Methods: From a community health center serving Chinese members in the Greater Philadelphia area, 110 Chinese-American parents with at least one child aged 11 to 18 who had not received HPV vaccine were recruited. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews. Results: Chinese-American parents generally lacked knowledge on HPV and the HPV vaccine, yet had a moderately high level of intention to vaccinate their children against HPV. Ordinal logistic regression results indicated that knowledge, whether or not to involve children, doctor influence, and time lived in the United States were significantly and independently related to parental intention to have their children vaccinated against HPV. Conclusion: Interventions should make efforts to raise awareness of HPV and promote vaccination in doctors' offices. The lower level of parental intention among relatively recent immigrants indicated the necessity to target this population in public health campaigns and intervention efforts.

Human Papillomavirus and Infertility.

Background and objectives. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most commonly sexually transmitted infection. Recent evidence suggests that an HPV infection may affect fertility. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of HPV infections among couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to identify their awareness of HPV. Material and Methods. A total of 200 samples were collected from couples who received IVF treatment during 2017–2018 in Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VUH SK) Santaros Fertility Centre (SFC). For HPV detection, cervical swabs from women and sperm samples from men were taken and a real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for the identification of 14 high-risk HPV types. Sperm parameters were evaluated according to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for 2010. Research subjects answered an anonymous questionnaire to ascertain their knowledge of HPV. Results. After testing of HPV in couples undergoing IVF, it was found that 33 out of 100 couples (33%) were HPV positive. Of these, 19% of women (19/100) and 20% of men (20/100) tested positive. Using Fisher’s exact test, a statistically significant difference was found between HPV infections and abnormal sperm quality parameters (p = 0.023). Conclusions. HPV may have an impact in spermatogenesis, because an HPV infection was more frequently detected in men with abnormal sperm parameters. High-risk HPV 52 was the most common genotype among couples undergoing IVF treatment.

Abstract 4181: Awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among men and women with oral cancer

Abstract Background There is a high level of public awareness of association human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and genital cancer. Though recent research showed that 26 million Americans have oral HPV infection, the information on awareness of association HPV infection with oral cancer among men and women is limited. Methods The objective of our study was to assess population awareness of and knowledge about the association between HPV and oral cancer among men and women. We obtained cross-sectional data from the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Surveys (HINTS 2007-2015, N=25,410). We applied a Wald chi-square test to examine the association of HPV awareness in participants with oral cancer compared to participants with other forms of cancer stratified by gender. Results: Among men with oral cancer (N=10) 16 % were aware of HPV while among men with other forms of cancer (N=3557) 44% were aware of HPV (p=0.0924). Among women with oral cancer (N=5) 56 % were aware of HPV while among women with other forms of cancer (N=5631) 64% were aware of HPV (p=7971). Conclusion: There is decreased awareness and knowledge of HPV in men with oral cancer promoting opportunities to target communication about a vaccine. Citation Format: Assia Miller, Latrice Rollins, Ananya Banerjee. Awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among men and women with oral cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4181.

Knowledge and Behavior of University Students toward Human Papillomavirus and Vaccination

Objectives:Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and attitude of university students toward HPV infection and vaccine prevention in Turkey.Methods:A total of 1563 female and male university students participated in the study. The study design was descriptive and cross-sectional. The study included students enrolled in the departments of faculties and vocational schools.Results:In total, 16.8% of students stated that they had heard of HPV. There was a statistically significant relationship between the mean awareness of HPV and different variables, such as age, gender, marital status, family history of cancer, and conversation about sexual matters (P < 0.01). As the age of the students increased, the chance of hearing about HPV also increased. Of all the students, 1.5% took HPV vaccination. Furthermore, 87.7% of the female students stated that they had heard of cervical cancer.Conclusions:The depth of knowledge among Turkish university students toward cervical cancer, HPV infection, and vaccination was inadequate. It is important to provide educational and counseling services by nurses to make university students aware of HPV infection and vaccination.

Clinicopathological Presentation of Cervical Cancer in Bhopal

Abstract Aim: To study the clinicopathological spectrum of cervical cancers in tertiary care center to assess scenario in Central India. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study in the Department of Pathology in our institution to evaluate cases of cervical cancers from January 2014 to August 2015. Histopathological diagnosis was correlated with age, symptoms, gravida, Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging, and other relevant clinical details wherever deemed necessary. The biostatical analysis was performed for quantitative data student’s t-test was applied. P value was considered statistically significant if P &lt; 0.05. Results: A total of 180 cases were of neoplasia cervix. Majority of cases were squamous cell carcinoma type, i.e., 96.6% (174 cases) followed by adenocarcinoma constituting only 2.8% (5 cases) with a mean age of 50.7 years and average gravida of 3.78. Majority of cases (50.01%) complained of postmenopausal bleeding followed by abnormal spotting (26.67%) and lower abdominal pain (7.78%). The most common presentation was in Stage IIB with 45.56% (82) cases. Conclusion: Histomorphology remains the mainstay of diagnosis of cervical cancers. In low compliance settings such as ours, colposcopy-guided biopsy is the preferred course of management, especially in elderly females to be definite to rule out or diagnose neoplasia. National level cervical cancer program is immediate need of the hour and should include human papilloma virus vaccine, awareness, and screening programs as well as treatment assistance for low socioeconomic strata.

Awareness, Knowledge and Attitudes of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) among Private University Students- Malaysia Perspective.

Objective:Assess and analyse the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of university students regarding HPV and its vaccine. Methods:A cross-sectional study was designed with questionnaire serving as the research instrument. A total of 425 university students were recruited voluntarily. Thirteen assessable questions were analysed to reveal the mean total knowledge score of HPV and its vaccine. Both descriptive and statistical approach were employed to analyse the research outcomes. Results:Students were moderately aware as 59.8% and 49.6% have heard about HPV and its vaccine, respectively. The mean total knowledge score was 5.26 ± 3.10 out of 13 which was found to be moderately knowledgeable. Female (N= 235) have a significantly higher mean knowledge score in comparison to male (N= 190) at 5.58 ± 2.80 versus 4.87 ± 3.40, respectively (p<0.05), likely due to the disease profiles favouring female. As hypothesised, health-related school students (N= 171) outperformed other schools (N= 254) at 7.00 ± 2.95 versus 4.10 ± 2.62, respectively (p<0.001). In general, the score depends on participant’s gender and educational background (χ2= 25.426, p<0.01 and χ2= 105.337, p<0.001, respectively). Despite low vaccination uptakes (28.5%), students accept the vaccine following physician’s recommendation and reject due to its cost. A positive attitude was seen as majority (88.7%) wished to know more about HPV. Conclusion:Moderation in awareness, knowledge and attitudes reflect the lifestyle of an urbanised population where information is accessible. Healthcare professionals, media campaign, and educational talk refinement are therefore essential in controlling the disease by spreading awareness.

Inequalities in Awareness and Attitude towards HPV and Its Vaccine between Local and Migrant Residents Who Participated in Cervical Cancer Screening in Shenzhen, China.

PurposeA cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate the differences on awareness and attitude towards human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccine between local and migrant residents who participated in cervical cancer screening in Shenzhen, China.Materials and MethodsA total of 9,855 females sampled from healthcare institutions in 20 street blocks through the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network were surveyed in this study by a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to explore the role of the hukou and resident status in the willingness to receive HPV vaccination.ResultsLocal residents had a relatively higher awareness of HPV (62.0% vs. 35.6% vs. 29.9%, p < 0.001) and its vaccine (35.3% vs. 15.4% vs. 14.8%, p < 0.001), as well as a higher willingness to receive HPV vaccination (68.5% vs. 62.5% vs. 56.2%, p < 0.001) than non-permanent residents and floating population. Except for age, education level, marital status, monthly income, having daughter(s), and heard of HPV and its vaccine, the hukou and resident status significantly associated with the willingness to receive HPV vaccination (local residents vs. floating population: odds ratio, 1.216; 95% confidence interval, 1.057 to 1.398). None significant difference on the associated factors was found between local residents and internal migrants (p for interactions > 0.05).ConclusionInequalities in awareness and attitude towards HPV and its vaccine existed between local and migrant residents in Shenzhen. The hukou and resident status did impact on the willingness to receive HPV vaccination, therefore, it is critical to implement effective health education campaigns on HPV and its vaccine among internal migrants.

Awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination in undergraduate students in the North West region of Turkey: Near future outlook.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women in the world. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the awareness about HPV, risk perception, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccines. The sample of this descriptive cross-sectional study consisted of 396 undergraduate university students from Turkey. Sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive health, knowledge about HPV, and HPV vaccination were questioned. The percentage of university students with an active sexual life was 10.6%. The knowledge level of families about HPV, and HPV vaccination were not adequate. The awareness of the fact that HPV was a cause of cervical cancer in women and penile cancer in men tended to increase with the increase in the educational level of parents. Those who knew about HPV vaccines were predominantly females. The results of this study demonstrated that more active education is needed to decrease HPV infections among undergraduate students. Increasing awareness of HPV makes it easier to develop positive behaviors in fighting against it. In order to increase the contribution of young people to educational activities for the community, information about HPV and HPV vaccines should first be included in training programs at universities. To support the development of effective and high-quality public health interventions, young people should be educated so that obstacles to HPV vaccination in various cultural groups can be eliminated. Our findings suggest that awareness about HPV, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccines should be increased.

Human Papillomavirus awareness and vaccine acceptability among men who have sex with men from mainland China

Reductions in persistent HPV infection and related diseases occurrence have been proved among vaccinated males. However, little was known on awareness of HPV and the vaccine in males, especially in high-risk subgroups such as men who have sex with men (MSM), in China. A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in MSM from 10 selected cities in mainland China. HPV awareness and vaccination acceptability were investigated through interviews and questionnaires. In total, 3057 eligible participants aged 18 years older from 10 cities were investigated. Only 20.6% (629/3057) of them had ever heard of HPV and 4.8% (146/3057) had heard of HPV vaccine. Factors that potentially influence willingness for HPV vaccination were found to be safety of the vaccine (54.2%, 1656/3057) and severity of HPV infection (52.3%, 1599/3057). After education, 97.8% (2882/2946) of participants would like to pay for HPV vaccination, and only a minority of them (2.5%, 75/2946) would like to afford more than 2000 RMB. Our results showed that the awareness on HPV and the vaccine were quite poor among MSM in mainland China. To promote the application of HPV vaccination in male populations, appropriate information delivery and education on HPV infection and health should be enhanced as well as in females.

Perspectives of women participating in a cervical cancer screening campaign with community-based HPV self-sampling in rural western Kenya: a qualitative study

BackgroundDespite cervical cancer being preventable with effective screening programs, it is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in many countries in Africa. Screening involving pelvic examination may not be feasible or acceptable in limited-resource settings. We sought to evaluate women’s perspectives on human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling as part of a larger trial on cervical cancer prevention implementation strategies in rural western Kenya.MethodsWe invited 120 women participating in a cluster randomized trial of cervical cancer screening implementation strategies in Migori County, Kenya for in-depth interviews. We explored reasons for testing, experience with and ability to complete HPV self-sampling, importance of clinician involvement during screening, factors and people contributing to screening decision-making, and ways to encourage other women to come for screening. We used validated theoretical frameworks to analyze the qualitative data.ResultsWomen reported having positive experiences with the HPV self-sampling strategy. The factors facilitating uptake included knowledge and beliefs such as prior awareness of HPV, personal perception of cervical cancer risk, desire for improved health outcomes, and peer and partner encouragement. Logistical and screening facilitators included confidence in the ability to complete HPV self-sampling strategy, proximity to screening sites and feelings of privacy and comfort conducting the HPV self- sampling. The barriers to screening included fear of need for a pelvic exam, fear of disease and death associated with cervical cancer. We classified these findings as capabilities, opportunities and motivations for health behavior using the COM-B framework.ConclusionsOverall, HPV self-sampling was an acceptable cervical cancer screening strategy that seemed to meet the needs of the women in this community. These findings will further inform aspects of implementation, including outreach messaging, health education, screening sites and emphasis on availability and effectiveness of preventative treatment for women who screen positive.

Effect of an educational intervention on HPV knowledge and attitudes towards HPV and its vaccines among junior middle school students in Chengdu, China

BackgroundLittle is known about the knowledge and attitudes towards human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccines among adolescents in mainland China. Also, limited information has been available on how to improve their knowledge and willingness towards HPV and its vaccines to ensure a successful vaccination program in the future.MethodsThis was a school-based interventional follow-up study. One urban and one rural junior middle school in Chengdu were selected by convenience sampling. At baseline, half of the grade one students were randomly selected as controls and the rest were interventions. A set of self-administered questionnaires on HPV and its vaccines were completed by both groups at baseline. After that, only the intervention group received a PowerPoint-oriented health education and finished the post-education questionnaires. One year later, both groups completed the same questionnaires as the follow-up survey.ResultsIn total, 1675 students finished the pre-intervention questionnaires; 751 were from the control group and 924 were from the intervention group. Among them, only 34.3% had heard of cervical cancer/genital warts, while only 15.1% of them had ever heard of HPV. However, 55.2% of students showed their willingness to be vaccinated even before any intervention. Seven variables were found to be associated with the willingness to be vaccinated at baseline. Immediately after the intervention, 88.4% of students were willing to vaccinate themselves. After 1 year, the effectiveness of intervention remained but decreased. Compared with the control group, the intervention group was more aware about cervical cancer, HPV and its vaccines with statistical significance. However, the level of HPV knowledge and willingness to be vaccinated among the intervention group had significantly decreased compared with that immediately after the intervention (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe baseline level of knowledge on HPV, its vaccines, and cervical cancer was very low among junior middle school students in Chengdu, China. However, the willingness to be vaccinated seemed positive. School-based health education is effective and appropriate in increasing the awareness of HPV and willingness towards its vaccines. Regular health education on HPV and cervical cancer prevention at a shorter interval should be guaranteed to ensure continuous effectiveness.

Improving Human Papillomavirus-Related Knowledge and Attitudes Among Ethnically Diverse Young Adults.

Purpose: To make baseline comparisons and evaluate the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine awareness, knowledge, and attitudes among ethnically diverse participants.Methods: Design: Pre- and post-intervention surveys. Setting: An urban, Hispanic-Serving South Florida university. Subjects: Three hundred eighty-seven diverse college students attending a gender studies course. Intervention: Students received a brief educational message designed to improve HPV-related knowledge and attitudes. Baseline and follow-up survey data were collected. Measures: Outcome measures included baseline and follow-up awareness of HPV, perceived knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccination, measured knowledge score, vaccine attitudes, and doses of HPV vaccine received. Analysis: Chi-square, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare baseline differences and evaluate the efficacy of the intervention.Results: Hispanic participants had more positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination (62% vs. 44%, p=0.009) and were more willing to become vaccinated (66% vs. 46%, p=0.02) than non-Hispanic participants at baseline. Hispanic women (48%) were more likely to have initiated HPV vaccination than Hispanic men (27%, p=0.006). At baseline, only 30% of participants scored ≥4/7 points in knowledge. Participants' HPV knowledge improved by 41% after the intervention, with no difference by ethnicity in the post-intervention score.Conclusion: The intervention was useful in improving HPV-related knowledge and attitudes among diverse college students. Future studies should examine barriers to vaccination among ethnic minorities.

FightHPV: Design and Evaluation of a Mobile Game to Raise Awareness About Human Papillomavirus and Nudge People to Take Action Against Cervical Cancer.

BackgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally. High-risk HPV types can cause cervical cancer, other anogenital cancer, and oropharyngeal cancer; low-risk HPV types can cause genital warts. Cervical cancer is highly preventable through HPV vaccination and screening; however, a lack of awareness and knowledge of HPV and these preventive strategies represents an important barrier to reducing the burden of the disease. The rapid development and widespread use of mobile technologies in the last few years present an opportunity to overcome this lack of knowledge and create new, effective, and modern health communication strategies.ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe the development of a mobile app called FightHPV, a game-based learning tool that educates mobile technology users about HPV, the disease risks associated with HPV infection, and existing preventive methods.MethodsThe first version of FightHPV was improved in a design-development-evaluation loop, which incorporated feedback from a beta testing study of 40 participants, a first focus group of 6 participants aged between 40 and 50 years and a second focus group of 23 participants aged between 16 and 18 years. Gameplay data from the beta testing study were collected using Google Analytics (Google), whereas feedback from focus groups was evaluated qualitatively. Of the 29 focus group participants, 26 returned self-administered questionnaires. HPV knowledge before and after playing the game was evaluated in the 22 participants from the second focus group who returned a questionnaire.ResultsFightHPV communicates concepts about HPV, associated diseases and their prevention by representing relationships among 14 characters in 6 episodes of 10 levels each, with each level being represented by a puzzle. Main concepts were reinforced with text explanations. Beta testing revealed that many players either failed or had to retry several times before succeeding at the more difficult levels in the game. It also revealed that players gave up at around level 47 of 60, which prompted the redesign of FightHPV to increase accessibility to all episodes. Focus group discussions led to several improvements in the user experience and dissemination of health information in the game, such as making all episodes available from the beginning of the game and rewriting the information in a more appealing way. Among the 26 focus group participants who returned a questionnaire, all stated that FightHPV is an appealing educational tool, 69% (18/26) reported that they liked the game, and 81% (21/26) stated that the game was challenging. We observed an increase in HPV knowledge after playing the game (P=.001).ConclusionsFightHPV was easy to access, use, and it increased awareness about HPV infection, its consequences, and preventive measures. FightHPV can be used to educate people to take action against HPV and cervical cancer.

HPV Vaccination and Korean American College Women: Cultural Factors, Knowledge, and Attitudes in Cervical Cancer Prevention.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection that leads to nearly all cervical cancers in the United States (U.S.), which could be prevented with the HPV vaccine. Korean American women experience a high burden of cervical cancer, but little is known about their awareness, knowledge, attitudes, sociocultural factors and social network/support related to intention to obtain the HPV vaccine. This study reports baseline characteristics of 104 Korean American college women aged 18-26 and who have not been previously vaccinated against HPV, as part of a pilot randomized controlled trial testing feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of an HPV storytelling intervention. Data were analyzed including descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to understand the relationship between independent predictors of intention to receive HPV vaccination. Overall, 34.6% of participants intended to obtain the vaccine. Positive predictors of intention to receive HPV vaccine were: years in the U.S., academic major, awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine, knowledge, and HPV recommendation by healthcare provider and parents. The multivariate logistic model showed that intention to receive the HPV vaccine was significantly associated with HPV vaccine recommendation by parents (OR 4.58, 95% CI 1.37-15.36) and knowledge (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.11-1.22). These findings suggest a need for development of interventions that are not only culturally tailored but also acculturation-sensitive to promote HPV vaccination among Korean American college women. This may play a significant role in cervical cancer prevention among Korean American college women.

Exploring HPV Knowledge, Awareness, Beliefs, Attitudes, and Vaccine Acceptability of Latino Fathers Living in the United States: An Integrative Review.

To conduct an integrative review to identify and synthesize studies exploring human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge, awareness, beliefs, attitudes, and acceptability of the HPV vaccine among Latino fathers living in the United States. The review methodology was informed by those developed by Whittemore and Knafl, which allow for the inclusion of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. Using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews meta-analyses guidelines, five electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Science Direct) were searched for peer-reviewed, full-text studies published in English with samples that included Latino fathers and examined knowledge, awareness, beliefs, attitudes about the HPV and the HPV vaccines. Studies that did not provide information on the inclusion of fathers in the sample were excluded. Identified eligible studies were analyzed and synthesized using the matrix method. Eleven eligible studies were identified. Most (n = 10) included mothers and fathers. One study included only fathers, and this study determined that although fathers held positive attitudes toward the HPV vaccine, a notable number of participants were unsure of or had not formed an opinion about the HPV vaccine. Fathers felt that a recommendation from their child's physician would impact whether they vaccinated their child. Moreover, of the ten studies including both parents, only two specifically compared fathers' and mothers' knowledge and awareness about the HPV and vaccine acceptability. These two studies determined that fathers were less aware of the HPV and had lower HPV vaccine-related knowledge than mothers. Nevertheless, all of the 11 examined studies, found moderate to high acceptability of the HPV vaccine among Latino parents despite uncertainty about possible vaccine risks and costs. Only 11 studies were identified that included Latino fathers. Of these studies, only one was conducted exclusively with Latino fathers and two compared fathers and mothers. Additional research focusing on Latino fathers is needed given the central role of the family in the Latino culture and the shared role fathers and mothers have in decision-making related to their children's health.

National Trends in Human Papillomavirus Awareness and Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus–Related Cancers

The President's Cancer Panel released a report in 2014 calling for communication strategies to promote the human papillomavirus vaccine among males and females. The purpose of this study was to (1) estimate changes in human papillomavirus awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus-related cancers from 2014 to 2017 using a nationally representative survey of adults in the U.S. and (2) identify differences in population subgroups that showed significant changes in human papillomavirus awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus-related cancers. Data were from the Health Information National Trends Survey (2014 and 2017 surveys). Health Information National Trends Survey is a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of non-institutionalized adults (aged ≥18 years) in the U.S. Human papillomavirus awareness was assessed with one item indicating aware or never heard of human papillomavirus. Human papillomavirus-related cancer knowledge was assessed with four items asking if human papillomavirus can cause cervical, anal, oral, or penile cancer (responses coded yes/no or not sure). The majority (64%, SE=1.4) were aware of human papillomavirus. Awareness was higher among females and the vaccine-eligible subpopulation. No change in awareness was observed. Knowledge of cervical cancer was high (78%), but low for anal (26%); oral (30%); and penile (30%) cancers. Cervical cancer knowledge significantly increased among females, and anal cancer knowledge increased among college graduates and non-vaccine eligible subgroups. No other increases in human papillomavirus-related cancer knowledge were observed. The general public was moderately aware of human papillomavirus, but associated human papillomavirus with cervical cancer. Knowledge of non-cervical human papillomavirus-related cancers is low, even among vaccine-eligible subgroups. Public health education is needed to raise awareness of non-cervical human papillomavirus-related cancers.

Perspectives and preferences for a mobile health tool designed to facilitate HPV vaccination among young men who have sex with men

ABSTRACT We sought to understand young men who have sex with men (YMSM) perspectives and preferred features for a mobile health (mHealth) tool designed to facilitate human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. YMSM were recruited on a popular social/sexual networking app to participate in online focus groups. Discussions were designed to elicit what the men would want in a mHealth tool specific for sexual health and HPV. Demographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and focus group data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Forty-eight YMSM participated. Mean age was 23.4 years, and 70.0% reported their race as Black. Qualitative themes included general HPV knowledge and awareness, current patterns in technology use, desired app qualities, and desired app content. Youth described varying levels of HPV knowledge, utilized apps to engage socially, and for travel, banking, gaming, news and entertainment, and few used apps to facilitate personal health or engage with healthcare systems. Participants desired credible, relatable, secure, and easy to use interfaces that provided sexual health and HPV information in a positive context. They described ways to creatively engage and directly connect youth to health providers. We identified a culturally relevant youth driven approach to facilitate HPV vaccination and sexual health among YMSM.

Knowledge and Awareness of Human Papillomavirus Among College Students in South Carolina.

Despite the existence of a safe and effective vaccine, human papillomavirus (HPV) remains prevalent in the United States, with late adolescence and early adulthood being periods of increased risk. Thus, targeting college-aged individuals for HPV prevention and vaccination promotion is critical—particularly in regions such as the Deep South where vaccination rates remain low. This study sought to examine awareness and knowledge of HPV as well as experiences and attitudes regarding HPV vaccination among college students in the Deep South. Specifically, we completed a cross-sectional survey of 256 undergraduate students from a large public university in South Carolina. Although a majority of participants were aware of HPV, significant knowledge gaps existed, particularly regarding prevention, symptoms, and consequences of HPV infection. Participants were also largely unaware of men’s susceptibility for negative HPV outcomes. Multivariate regression modeling was used to identify predictors of HPV knowledge, with results indicating that participants who were female and white, as well as those who were vaccinated, had higher levels of HPV knowledge. Findings highlight the need for comprehensive HPV education on college campuses and offer insights to priority populations that may be appropriate focuses of efforts to increase HPV knowledge and vaccination rates.

Knowledge on human papillomavirus and cervical cancer awareness among women in South India

Background: Cervical malignancy is a major health problem threatening women community in the developing countries. Aims: The main objective of this study is to investigate the awareness, knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer (CC) risk factors among women. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based, survey was conducted among females aged from 15 to 64 years in Tamil Nadu. It contained questions on sociodemographic data, awareness, knowledge of HPV and CC. Results and Conclusion: Of the 573 participants, only about 19% of women in Tamil Nadu were aware of CC and they know it is the second-most common gynecological cancer found among women in the country. About 14% of women were aware of HPV and HPV vaccine. Merely about 9% recognize that CC can be prevented and 7% say that HPV can be sexually transmitted. This study reveals that there is a low level of awareness and knowledge of HPV, CC among women in Tamil Nadu. The present study indicates the need for government organizations, health-care providers to join hands to educate middle-aged women with low educational status, create social awareness about the disease, its symptoms and reduce the risk of having CC in the population.