Awareness Of Human Papillomavirus Research Articles

What do Young People Think About HPV and HPV Vaccination? The Role of Health Education Interventions and Health Professionals.

Background:Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and its highest prevalence is observed in adolescents and young adults. This review examined studies that explore awareness about HPV among adolescents and young adults, as well as their attitudes and willingness towards the HPV vaccine. Besides, the impact of health professionals and health education interventions on HPV awareness and attitudes towards HPV vaccine is identified.Objective:The aim of this review is, firstly, to systematically identify the studies that explore awareness about HPV among adolescents and young adults, as well as their attitudes and willingness towards the HPV vaccine. Secondly, the aim is to identify the impact of health professionals and health education interventions on HPV awareness and attitudes towards HPV vaccine among the same group.Methods:The systematic review was conducted in the international databases PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, between 2016-2019.Results:The review revealed low to moderate levels of awareness and knowledge regarding HPV (10 studies), while a more favorable attitude towards the HPV vaccine (3 studies). The role of health professionals was ineffective (4 studies), while studies focused on the impact of health education interventions showed a positive impact on knowledge and awareness of HPV (4 studies).Conclusion:Continuous training of health personnel is necessary and new studies are needed to identify barriers to adolescents not being vaccinated.

Awareness of Human Papilloma Virus and Its Association with Cervical Cancer among Female University Students: A Study from United Arab Emirates

Cervical cancer is the neoplasm of the uterine cervix in women, which is highly preventable. With the advent of vaccination against HPV infection, a gradual decline in the incidence of cervical cancer cases has been observed in developing countries. The developing nations bear the brunt of cervical cancer incidence due to low acceptance of vaccination. This survey-based study was designed to assess the awareness and opinions of female university students regarding human papilloma virus, vaccination and cervical cancer. A survey questionnaire was distributed among female expatriate students (18 to 26 years of age) of a private university. The survey sought information on socio-demographic characteristics, family and personal health history, knowledge of cervical cancer, its association with HPV, preventive care and their opinions on vaccination. GraphPad was used for statistical calculations. Of the 269 respondents, only 6% had attended awareness programs and 11% reported having read any information leaflet. 78% of the respondents did not know how HPV infection occurs and less than 40% of the participants believed that cervical cancer is preventable. 75% of the respondents had not heard about the PAP smear test. 20% of the participants stated that they were uninterested in taking the vaccination and only 5% of the survey respondents had received vaccination. Majority of the respondents (78%) demonstrated positive attitude towards practices related to influence of nutrition in having a disease-free life. The present study indicates low levels of awareness regarding HPV and its role in cervical cancer among female university-going students. It was found that the awareness of HPV, their role in cervical cancer development and the availability of information regarding vaccination was very low. The authors recommend that educational institutions and government health authorities must offer a well-designed comprehensive awareness cum vaccination camp in order to educate young women about HPV infection and risk of developing cervical cancer. This will help ensure future economic and health benefits for all.

Educational intervention for increasing knowledge of human papillomavirus and vaccination amongst parents of first year high school students in Croatia.

In Croatia, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine became available through a publicly funded national programme during the 2015/2016 school year among boys and girls in the first year high school. Improved parental awareness of HPV and vaccination could help increase the uptake of the vaccination. The primary aim of this study is to establish the importance of educating parents for a greater response to the voluntary vaccination. Parents of students in the first year of high school evaluated the educational lessons in the spring of 2016 in 11 counties coordinated by the Croatian Institute of Public Health: total of 36 doctors from 11 counties. Statistical significance was tested using chi-squared test. In total, 3350 evaluations were submitted (82.7%). Parents with a positive attitude towards vaccination following the education more often stated the lesson contributed to this attitude than parents with a negative attitude (P<0.001). Results show that counties with highest attendance had highest rates of vaccination (Sisačko-moslovačka 1.74 highest and Dubrovačko-Neretvanska 0.03 lowest). Our study shows that parents have the impression an educational lesson can contribute to the development of their positive attitude towards vaccination. Further research should be aimed at disparities and how to target these with appropriate interventions.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge, beliefs, and vaccine uptake among United States and international college students

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine, college student’s beliefs toward HPV, and HPV vaccine uptake between US and international college students studying in the US. Participants: The study was conducted using a sample (N = 588) of college students from a university in the South Central US. Methods: Study measures was derived from previously validated measures. Data were collected via an online survey using Qualtrics. Results: Significant differences were found in HPV awareness, HPV vaccine awareness, and HPV vaccine uptake between US and international college students. Conclusion: This study showed existing disparities between US and international college students regarding HPV and HPV vaccine awareness, and HPV vaccine uptake. College health centers can play a crucial role in raising awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination rates by organizing various intervention programs to reduce these disparities.

Awareness of Human papilloma Virus (HPV) and its Toxicity

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) lead to epidemiologically and clinically distinct form of Orpharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC). HPV-positive OPSCCs have risk factors related to sexual behaviour whereas HPV-negative cancers strongly co-related with tobacco and alcohol usage. In addition HPV-positive patients have substantially better survival than compared with HPV-negative patients.

Low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake among men living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): Cross-sectional findings from a clinical cohort

Men living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are internationally recognized as a priority population for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Our objective was to explore HPV vaccine uptake among men living with HIV in Ontario, Canada, and investigate differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated men. We used data from a cross-sectional questionnaire administered between 2016 and 2017 among men living with HIV and participating in the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study. We calculated the proportion vaccinated against HPV, described vaccination experiences, and HPV vaccine knowledge, and calculated differences in characteristics between vaccinated and unvaccinated men. Among 1651 men (mean age = 51 years, 72% identified as gay), 7% were vaccinated (95% confidence interval[CI] 5.5–7.9%); 85% received their first dose at a primary care or HIV clinic. Among unvaccinated men, 40% were unaware of the HPV vaccine, 65% reported low perceived risk for HPV, and 8% discussed HPV vaccination with a physician. Compared to unvaccinated men, vaccinated men were younger, most identified as gay, had a higher education/income, reported a higher number of recent sex partners, and had a history of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HPV, anogenital warts, and/or anal cancer. Our findings reveal that few men living with HIV were vaccinated against HPV. This may be influenced by low HPV awareness, prohibitive cost, and lack of physician recommendation. Several men reporting lower socio-economic status, older men, and heterosexual, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men were missed for vaccination. Primary care and HIV clinics may be ideal locations to increase uptake.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and the quadrivalent HPV Vaccine among Brazilian adolescents and parents: Factors associated with and divergences in knowledge and acceptance.

BackgroundLow national immunization coverage (44.64%) requires strengthening the vaccination campaign to improve knowledge about HPV and its vaccine among adolescents and parents/guardians. Our aim is to evaluate factors related to knowledge about HPV, its vaccine, acceptability and divergences among Brazilian adolescents and parents/guardians.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed at a health unit of Sao Paulo University, Brazil, from 2015 to 2016. The convenience sample comprised 1047 individuals, including 74% (n = 776) adolescents and 26% (n = 271) parents/guardians, who answered a survey (knowledge about HPV, its vaccine, barriers and acceptability).ResultsThe main source of information for adolescents was school (39%, n = 298); for parents/guardians, it was health professionals (55%, n = 153). Parents/guardians were 2.48 times more likely than adolescents to know that HPV caused changes in the Pap smear test [RR 2.48, 95% CI 2.03–3.01 (p < 0.001)], 1.43 times likely to be aware that HPV was a sexually transmitted infection [RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.22–1.68 (p < 0.001)], and 2.77 times likely to be informed that the HPV vaccine decreased the chance of having genital warts [RR 2.77, 95% CI 2.22–2.47 (p < 0.001)]. Girls knew more about the topic than boys (RR 1.67; 95% CI 1.10–2.60); education increased parents’ knowledge [(RR 3.38; 95% CI 1.71–6.69)].ConclusionFemale adolescents and parents/guardians with a higher level of education are factors related to suitable knowledge about HPV and its vaccine among Brazilian respondents. There were differences between parents/guardians and adolescents in HPV awareness, clinical implications, vaccine knowledge and vaccine acceptance.

Awareness of Human Papillomavirus and Its Oncogenic Potential in Head and Neck Cancer among Students: Still More Questions than Answers.

In the past years, human papilloma virus (HPV) has been proved to be an important risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), especially in the oropharynx (OPCCS). The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge about HPV among students and to raise their awareness on the issue. A 22-question questionnaire was uploaded to an online service. Information about the project was sent out to students from three Universities in Lodz, Poland. All data were collected via questionnaire website tools. A total of 1710 students participated in this study. The group was divided into medical (MS) and non-medical (non-MS) students. Merely 59.38% of the non-MS had ever heard about HPV. Only 44.74% of the non-MS knew about vaccines against HPV. The oncogenic potential of HPV was evident for 81.17% of the MS and only 55.92% of the non-MS. Very similar numbers of respondents from both groups (39.21% vs. 36.47%) knew that HPV may cause cancers other than cervical. Nearly half of the respondents from both groups (46.28% vs. 48.32%) did not know about the risk of developing oral or oropharyngeal cancer. The level of knowledge about the consequences of HPV infection in head and neck cancers in young adults remains insufficient.

Social media use and human papillomavirus awareness and knowledge among adults with children in the household: examining the role of race, ethnicity, and gender

ABSTRACT Background Though human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a safe and effective method of protecting against associated cancers, uptake rates remain low among adolescents. Few studies have examined how social media use contributes to HPV-related knowledge gaps among parents and caregivers. Objective To investigate the association between social media use and HPV-related awareness and knowledge with a focus on differences by gender and race/ethnicity among a nationally representative sample of adults with children in the household. Methods We used data from the Health Information National Trends (HINTS) Survey (2017–2019) (N = 2,720). Multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the association of social media use on HPV awareness and knowledge outcomes. Results Compared to non-users, engaging in one, two, three, or four social media behaviors were associated with greater HPV awareness (aOR: 2.09; 95%CI: 1.18–3.70, aOR: 2.49; 95%CI: 1.40–4.42, aOR: 2.64; 95%CI: 1.15–6.05, and aOR: 2.44; 95%CI: 1.11–5.36, respectively). Increased social media use was associated with increased HPV vaccine awareness. Men, African American, Hispanic, and Asian American respondents were less likely to be aware of HPV or HPV vaccine. Social media use was not associated with cancer knowledge. Conclusions Increased social media use is associated with an increased awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine for adults with children in the household. Social media-based efforts can be utilized to increase knowledge of the benefits of HPV vaccination as cancer prevention, which may be a precursor to reducing HPV vaccine hesitancy and encouraging uptake to decrease cancer incidence rates among vulnerable populations.

Barriers to Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Uptake Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities: a Systematic Review.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with poor health outcomes, including cervical cancer. Racial/ethnic minority populations experience poor health outcomes associated with HPV at higher rates. A vaccine is available to protect against HPV infections and prevent HPV-related sequelae; however, vaccination rates have remained low in the United States (U.S.) population. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase the HPV vaccination rate. Moreover, little is known about barriers to HPV vaccination in racial/ethnic minority groups. This paper highlights the most recent findings on barriers experienced by these groups. The PubMed database was searched on July 30, 2020, for peer-reviewed articles and abstracts that had been published in English from July 2010 to July 2020 and covered racial/ethnic disparities in HPV vaccination. Similar findings were observed among the articles reviewed. The low HPV vaccination initiation and completion rates among racial/ethnic minority populations were found to be associated with lack of provider recommendations, inadequate knowledge and awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination, medical mistrust, and safety concerns. Provider recommendations and accurate distribution of information must be increased and targeted to racial/ethnic minority populations in order to bolster the rate of vaccine uptake. To effectively target these communities, multi-level interventions need to be established. Further, research to understand the barriers that may affect unvaccinated adults in the catch-up age range, including males, may be beneficial, as majority of the previous studies focused on either parents of adolescents or women.

Low human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge related to low risk perception among men living with HIV: Implications for HPV-associated disease prevention

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated anal cancer is orders of magnitude higher among men living with HIV than the general male population. Our objective was to examine factors associated with HPV awareness and self-perceived risk for HPV-associated anal cancer among men living with HIV, which may influence uptake of cancer prevention strategies. A cross-sectional questionnaire on HPV was administered from 2016 to 2017 to 1677 men in a multisite, HIV clinical cohort in Ontario, Canada. We used logistic regression and proportional odds models to identify factors associated with being familiar with HPV and increasing self-perceived risk for anal cancer, respectively. We used correspondence analysis to examine associations of specific HPV-related knowledge with self-perceived risk. Only 52% were familiar with HPV, and 72% felt they had no or low risk for anal cancer. Familiarity with HPV was more common among men who have sex with men than heterosexual men (58% vs. 21%). Older men were less likely to be familiar with HPV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] per 10 years = 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69, 0.85). Familiarity with HPV was associated with increasing self-perceived risk (aOR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.87, 3.04). After accounting for differences in HPV awareness and sexual orientation, racialized men had lower self-perceived risk (aOR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.88). In the correspondence analysis, risk-focused HPV-related knowledge (e.g., knowing smoking increases risk) was associated with highest risk perception. Efforts are needed to improve HPV-related health literacy in this population. Our findings suggest specific HPV-related knowledge may differentially influence self-perceived risk for anal cancer.

Barriers to the uptake of cervical cancer services and attitudes towards adopting new interventions in Peru.

Cervical cancer mortality is high among Peruvian women of reproductive age. Understanding barriers and facilitators of cervical cancer screening and treatment could facilitate development of contextually-relevant interventions to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality. From April to October 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional survey with 22 medical personnel and administrative staff from Liga Contra el Cancer, in Lima, Peru. The survey included structured and open-ended questions about participants' roles in cervical cancer prevention and treatment, perceptions of women's barriers and facilitators for getting screened and/or treated for cervical cancer, as well as attitudes towards adopting new cervical cancer interventions. For structured questions, the frequency of responses for each question was calculated. For responses to open-ended questions, content analysis was used to summarize common themes. Our data suggest that the relative importance and nature of barriers that Peruvian women face are different for cervical cancer screening compared to treatment. In particular, participants mentioned financial concerns as the primary barrier to treatment and a lack of knowledge or awareness of human papillomavirus and/or cervical cancer as the primary barrier to screening uptake among women. Participants reported high willingness to adopt new interventions or strategies related to cervical cancer. Building greater awareness about benefits of cervical cancer screening among women, and reducing financial and geographic barriers to treatment may help improve screening rates, decrease late-stage diagnosis and reduce mortality in women who have a pre-cancer diagnosis, respectively. Further studies are needed to generalize study findings to settings other than Lima, Peru.

HPV Vaccination Hesitancy Among Latina Immigrant Mothers Despite Physician Recommendation.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake continues to be low in the United States. While a recommendation from a health care provider (HCP) has been shown to be associated with vaccine acceptability among parents, little is known about factors associated with hesitancy despite HCP recommendation. We examined factors associated with HPV vaccine hesitancy, despite a physician recommendation, among Latina immigrant mothers of daughters aged 9-12 years. As part of a group randomized trial to promote HPV vaccination between 2013 and 2016, we conducted a baseline interviewer-administered survey of mothers to assess sociodemographics, knowledge and perceived risk of cervical cancer/HPV infection, self-efficacy, and intention to vaccinate their unvaccinated daughters. Hesitancy was defined as "don't know/not sure" (DK/NS) in response to the question: "If your daughter's doctor recommended that she gets the HPV vaccine, would you let her get it?" Of the 317 participants, 35.3% indicated hesitancy to vaccinate their daughters if their physician recommended it. Although a number of variables were associated with HPV vaccine hesitancy in the univariate model, five remained significant in the final multivariable model: daughter's health insurance status; HPV awareness; perceived risk of HPV infection for their daughters; perceived self-risk of cervical cancer; and a self-efficacy score of ability to complete the HPV vaccination series. A recommendation by a health care provider may be not enough to motivate Latina immigrant mothers to vaccinate their daughters. Further efforts should focus on increasing awareness regarding HPV and cervical cancer, heightening perceived risk of HPV infection among daughters and boosting self-efficacy to get their children vaccinated against HPV.

Assessment of women's knowledge about HPV vaccination in the light of the HPV infection as a risk factor for cervical cancer

Introduction Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies of female reproductive tract. In Poland in 2017 CC accounted for 3.0% of all newly registered tumour cases among women, and was the eighth most common female malignancy. Persistent infection with carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading risk facor. Currently, it is believed that infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), especially its oncogenic types 16 and 18, is of fundamental importance in the development of cervical cancer. Vaccination prevents from infection with certain types of viruses, and consequently the development of cancer induced by a given type of virus. Therefore, their effi­cacy can be measured only in the long term, in a large cohort of vaccinated adolescents reaching the age charac­terized by the peak incidence of these cancers.Purpose The objective of the study was to evaluate knowledge about CC, as well as awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination among female respondents.Material and method The research was conducted on the group of 1,260 survey respondents, who filled out the Internet questionnaire. The obtained results were analysed and checked on the basis of scientific literature.Results The percentage of respondents who select human papillomavirus infection as a risk factor for the cervical cancer is 75.9%. The onset of intercourse at an early age was considered a risk factor by only 24.6%, while a large number of sexual partners by 45.4%. Women were also asked about knowledge of HPV vaccination. Only 73.8% of them heard about it and 26.2% declare unawarness of this type of vaccination.Conclusions Health promotion campaigns and educational programs are necessary in order to reduce cervical cancer burden and should be directed particularly towards those who have demonstrated low cervical cancer knowledge and low awareness regarding HPV and its vaccine.

Awareness of Cervical Cancer and Attitude Toward Human Papillomavirus and Its Vaccine Among Ghanaians.

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Ghana is a low-middle- income country with annual diagnosed cases of 3,151 and 2,119 deaths. The high prevalence rate of cervical cancer in Ghana is mainly due to ineffective preventive measures and insufficient knowledge about the disease. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the level of knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and attitude toward human papillomavirus and its vaccine among Ghanaians.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional survey on the awareness of cervical cancer and attitude toward human papillomavirus and its vaccine was carried out from March 2019 to February 2020. SPSS v. 23.0 was used in the data analysis. The participants' demographic characteristics, knowledge of cervical carcinoma, human papillomavirus vaccine and HPV, and the likelihood to be vaccinated were represented as percentages and frequencies. The difference between males and females was assessed using the chi-square test. The logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship of possible related indicators with the willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: A total of 1,376 participants were involved in the final analysis. Among the 1,376 participants involved in this survey, 1,240 participants (90.1%) representing 456 males (33.1%) and 784 females (57.0%) were aware of the terminology “cervical cancer” with a significant p = 0.001. When stratified by gender, women had significantly greater knowledge, compared to men in terms of “cervical cancer being common in middle age (35–50) females” (75.5 vs. 67.5%, respectively, p ≤ 0.001). When stratified by gender, women had significantly greater knowledge of human papillomavirus (54.5 vs. 43.6%, respectively, p < 0.001) and the human papillomavirus vaccine (39.3 vs. 33.1%, respectively, p = 0.019) compared to men.Conclusion: Majority of the respondents had poor knowledge regarding cervical cancer risk factors, symptoms, HPV, and its vaccine. Hence, this indicates a wakeup call for government to increase the awareness and knowledge level via the media and health professionals.

Abstract 1140: Declining awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination within the general US population

Abstract Background: Programs aimed at boosting awareness on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccination are considered one of the most effective strategies for increasing vaccination uptake and eliminating HPV-associated cancers. Several US states have demonstrated a strong commitment to this effort through legislation and dedicated funds, however the impact of this intervention over time remains poorly studied. Methods: Using a nationally representative population of US adults from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), we examined for awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination between 2009 and 2018. Prevalence estimates and confidence intervals were calculated for HPV and HPV vaccination awareness. Further, we assessed awareness status after stratifying by key sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Overall, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination declined over time. This finding was consistent across gender and socioeconomic strata. The lowest rates of awareness were found among those with educational level at or below high school completion, those who earned less than $35,000 per annum, rural residents, and male adults, aged 60 years and older. Declines in awareness of HPV or HPV vaccination between 2014 and 2018 were more than 10% among male adults, those with educational level at or below high school completion and those who earned less than $35,000 per annum. Only 36.1% of adults with high school education or lower had ever heard of HPV vaccine in 2018, a 15.6% reduction from 2009. In 2018 awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine was highest among non-Hispanic whites (65.8% and 66.5%) and female adults (70.5% and 71.4%), however these figures represented declines of at least 5% from rates observed in 2009. Discussion: Amid a background of sub-optimal HPV vaccination uptake and a growing incidence of HPV-associated cancers in the US, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination within the general population has declined over time. This calls for stricter enforcement of legislature aimed at boosting HPV awareness, as well as frequent evaluations of government-funded HPV awareness programs. Citation Format: Onyema G. Chido-Amajuoyi, Inimfon Jackson, Robert Yu, Sanjay Shete. Declining awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination within the general US population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1140.

Knowledge about Cervical Cancer and Awareness of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV Vaccine among Female Students from Serbia.

Background and objectives: Persistent infection with carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancer. The study explored students’ knowledge about cervical cancer and awareness of human papillomavirus and the HPV vaccine. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was carried out among 1616 first-year female college students at the University of Niš. It examined socio-demographic characteristics, measured the score of knowledge about cervical cancer, assessed awareness regarding HPV and the HPV vaccine and inquired about the source of information about cervical cancer and HPV. Results: The average cervical cancer knowledge score was 16.35 ± 7.92 (min 0, max 30), with medical professional education, parents’ education level, place of residence and relationship status having significant effects on the score. The awareness about HPV and the HPV vaccine was low, with only 14.2% of students having heard about both HPV and its vaccine. The most commonly reported sources of information were the media, while the most competent one was organized health education. Conclusions: Health promotion campaigns and educational programs are necessary in order to reduce cervical cancer burden and should be directed particularly towards those who have demonstrated low cervical cancer knowledge and low awareness regarding HPV and its vaccine.

Declining awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine within the general US population

ABSTRACT Programs aimed at boosting human papillomavirus (HPV)-related awareness are considered one of the most effective strategies for increasing vaccination uptake and eliminating HPV-associated cancers. Several US states have made strong commitments to this effort through legislation and dedicated funds. However, it is not known if these efforts have resulted in population-level increments in HPV awareness overtime. Using the Health Information National Trends Survey data, we examined the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine in the US, between 2008 and 2018. Prevalence estimates and confidence intervals were calculated for HPV and HPV vaccine awareness. Further, we assessed awareness after stratifying by key sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine declined over time. The lowest awareness was among racial minorities, rural residents, male respondents, those aged 65 years and older, as well as those with the lowest educational and socioeconomic standing. Between 2013 and 2018, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine declined by almost 10% among males, those with a high school level of education or lower, and those who earned less than USD 35,000 per annum. In 2018, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine was highest among non-Hispanic whites (65.8% and 66.5%) and female adults (70.5% and 71.4%); however, these figures represented declines of about 5% from rates observed in 2008. Amidst a background of sub-optimal HPV vaccination uptake and a growing incidence of HPV-associated cancers in the US, HPV-related awareness within the general US population has declined over time. This calls for stricter enforcement of legislation aimed at boosting HPV awareness, as well as frequent evaluation of government-funded HPV awareness programs.

Awareness Levels of the Link Between Oropharyngeal Cancer and HPV Infection Among Spanish Women: a Hospital-Based Cross-sectional Study.

Several observational studies have demonstrated the increased awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) as an etiological factor of oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs). The incidence of OPCs has increased in recent times, particularly among younger women, and the efficacy of the HPV vaccine in preventing these cancers has gained attention among the medical community. The aim of this study was to explore the health literacy of Spanish adult women regarding factors associated with HPV and its link to OPCs, as well as their awareness of the HPV vaccination. A survey was distributed to 508 women, and 409 (70.5%) were considered as valid participants. The majority of the participants were Caucasian (97.8%) with a mean age of 44.1 ± 11.6. Out of all the participants, only 48.9% women identified HPV as a possible etiology of OPC. The most common sources of information regarding this association were the internet (31.3%), video media (28.9%), and healthcare professionals (28.9%), whereas 16.1% of the participants reported that they had obtained information from three or more sources. The average number of correct answers in the 16-item survey which was used to determine the participants' knowledge of HPV-related diseases was 8.7 ± 4.2, and the average number of correct answers in the 6-item survey regarding the usefulness of the HPV vaccination was 3.3 ± 1.6. According to bivariate models, the variables associated with a poorer level of awareness were related mainly to education (p < 0.001), sexual behavior (p < 0.001), and employment status (p < 0.001). This study contributes toward the discovery of the previously unforeseen psychosocial burden of HPV and its related diseases among Spanish women.

Abstract A030: Human papilloma virus awareness among non-Hispanics, U.S.-born Hispanics, and foreign-born Hispanics, United States, 2017-2018

Abstract Introduction: Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing minority in the U.S. Knowledge of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and the HPV vaccine is reportedly lower among Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites. However, the Hispanic population is not homogenous, and there may be significant differences among subpopulations (e.g., by country/region of origin). We examined HPV knowledge and awareness among non-Hispanics (NH), U.S. born Hispanics (USH), and Foreign-born Hispanics (FBH). Methods: We analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 cycle 1 (2017) and cycle 2 (2018). HINTS is a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of health media use and cancer-related knowledge among U.S. adults. Using SAS Version 9.4, we conducted Wald Chi-Square tests to attain descriptive statistics. We performed a multivariate logistic regression to assess the association between two parallel outcomes – (1) heard about HPV and (2) heard of the HPV vaccine, and the primary predictors – Hispanic ethnicity and nativity while controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results: The majority of FBH (92.57%) had been in the U.S. for more than 10 years. A higher proportion of both FBH (68.75%) and USH (67.17%) reported having an immediate family member between 9 and27 years old compared to NH (47.39%). A lower percentage of FBH (48.61%) had heard of HPV compared to USH (67.60%) and NH (64.73%). A lower percentage of FBH (47.74%) had heard of the HPV-vaccine compared to USH (55.71%) and NH (64.48%). In multivariable analyses, FBH had 44% (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56, confidence interval [CI] = 0.36 – 0.85) lower odds of having heard of HPV and USH had 42% (OR = 0.58, CI = 0.43 – 0.78) lower odds of having heard of HPV vaccine compared to NH after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Additionally, being female, older in age, having some college education or higher, and household income of $35K-49,999 or &amp;gt;$75K were significantly associated with having heard of HPV and the HPV vaccine (p&amp;lt;0.0001). Conclusion: There are differences between FBH and USH in levels of HPV awareness. Within these subgroups, a disconnect exists regarding awareness of HPV and the HPV-vaccine. FBH were more aware of HPV but not as much about the HPV-vaccine while USH were less aware of HPV but more aware of the HPV-vaccine. Overall low level of awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine is concerning given that a large proportion of USB and FHB have a vaccine-eligible family member 9-27 years old. Strategic HPV awareness campaigns are needed to target the different subgroups among Hispanics based on their nativity status. Citation Format: Betsy Escobar, Trisha Amboree, Maria Jibaja-Weiss, Jane Montealegre. Human papilloma virus awareness among non-Hispanics, U.S.-born Hispanics, and foreign-born Hispanics, United States, 2017-2018 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A030.