Knowledge of HPV-Associated Head and Neck and Oral Cancers Among Health Care Students in Mexico
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| Autores: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | artículo original |
| Status: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de Publicación: | 2025 |
| Beskrivelse: | To assess the knowledge of students in health care-related programs at a public university in Mexico regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) and its association with head and neck and oral cancers. An institution-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using bivariate and multivariate analyses. A representative sample of 323 students completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, sexual history, and knowledge of HPV, HPV-related cancers, and the HPV vaccine. Participants were aged 18-36 years; 210 (65.0%) were female and 113 (35.0%) male. Regarding sexual activity, 37.8% had become sexually active at or before age 18, 33.7% thereafter, and 28.5% remained sexually inactive. Over 90% of students were aware that HPV causes cervical cancer, while 63.5% recognized its role in head and neck cancer and 79.5% its association with oral cancer. Overall, 57.6% had been vaccinated against HPV, and 90.4% were willing to receive the vaccine. Awareness that HPV causes cervical cancer increased recognition of its association with head and neck (OR=6.86, p<0.01; adjOR=5.12, p=0.02) and oral (OR=12.36, p<0.01; adjOR=15.15, p<0.01) cancers. However, willingness to receive the HPV vaccine did not translate into knowledge of HPV’s role in head and neck (OR=0.16, p<0.01; adjOR=0.15, p=0.04) or oral (OR=0.11, p=0.01; adjOR=0.05, p=0.03) cancer. Raising knowledge of HPV’s role in head and neck and oral cancers offers an opportunity to boost vaccination uptake and prevent HPV- related disease. |
| País: | Portal de Revistas UCR |
| Institution: | Universidad de Costa Rica |
| Repositorio: | Portal de Revistas UCR |
| Sprog: | Inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:portal.revistas.ucr.ac.cr:article/2638 |
| Online adgang: | https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rOdontos/article/view/2638 |
| Palabra clave: | Human papillomavirus viruses; Knowledge; Students, medical; Students, health occupations. |