Knowledge and Risk Perception Regarding HPV Among Latino Alternative School Students in Houston, Texas

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STI among youth in the U.S. As alternative school students are at higher risk of acquiring STIs compared to regular high school students, this study examined HPV knowledge and risk perception among Latino youth attending 9 alternative high schools in Houston, Texas. HPV knowledge measures assessed prevalence, health consequences, symptoms, transmission, and risk reduction strategies. Three measures assessed perceived risk. The sample included 414 youth (58.4% female) with a mean age of 16.6 years (SD = 1.86); 63.8% were sexually experienced. Most (76.0%) were U.S.-born to parents from Mexico, Central or South America (70.8% of mothers and 77.8% of fathers, respectively); 61.7% had parents with less than a high school education. Results indicate that youth answered 1 out of 5 HPV knowledge items correctly (mean = 1.3, SD = 1.45); 35.8% identified skin-to-skin contact during sex as the most common mode of HPV transmission, and 72.5% selected condoms as an effective HPV risk reduction strategy followed by avoiding multiple partners (55.8%), abstinence (47.5%), monogamous relationships (26.8%) and HPV vaccination (22.3%). Only twenty-seven youth (6.5%) perceived themselves to be at high risk for contracting HPV. Regression analyses examining the association between demographic variables, sexual behavior, HPV knowledge, and HPV risk perception, showed significant associations for mothers' place of birth only - youth whose mothers were born outside of the U.S. had significantly lower HPV knowledge than those with American-born mothers (p < 0.007). Findings indicate the need for enhanced educational efforts among Latino alternative school youth regarding the prevalence of HPV and effective risk reduction strategies.