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Published on: March 11, 2014
Knowledge about infection with human papillomavirus: a systematic review
Stefanie J Klug1, Meike Hukelmann, Maria Blettner
1Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Hospital of the University of Mainz, 55101 Mainz, Germany. klug@imbei.uni-mainz.de
Preventive Medicine
|October 19, 2007
Summary
Public knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is poor. Increased efforts are needed to provide accurate HPV information to the general population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a primary cause of cervical cancer and genital warts.
- Understanding public knowledge of HPV is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and summarize existing knowledge about HPV infection.
- To assess awareness and understanding of HPV among diverse populations, including the public, students, patients, and health professionals.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of studies published between 1992 and 2006.
- PubMed database searches were conducted.
- Data on participant demographics, study characteristics, and HPV knowledge were extracted and analyzed.
Main Results:
- 39 studies involving 19,986 participants were included.
- Awareness of HPV ranged widely (13%-93%).
- Understanding of HPV as a cervical cancer risk factor was low, especially with open-ended questions (0.6%-11%). Knowledge of the link to genital warts varied (5%-83%). HPV was frequently confused with other sexually transmitted viruses. Health professionals and women demonstrated better HPV knowledge than other groups.
Conclusions:
- General public knowledge regarding HPV infection is significantly lacking.
- There is a critical need for enhanced, unbiased public health information campaigns about HPV.
- Targeted educational initiatives may be necessary for specific demographic groups.
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