Adolescents’ knowledge of HPV and sexually transmitted infections at public high schools in São Paulo: A cross-sectional study
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Authors
Junior, Jose Maria Soares
Creusa de Oliveira, Hervillin Maria
Luquetti, Camilla Maganhin
Zuchelo, Lea Tami Suzuki
Carvalho de Arruda Veiga, Eduardo
Raimundo, Juliana Zangirolami
Figueiredo, Francisco Winter dos Santos
Alves, Mayara Souza
Sorpreso, Isabel Cristina Esposito
Baracata, Edmund Chada
Issue Date
2022-11-17
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Adolescent Health , Papillomaviridae , Vaccination , Knowledge , Health Education , Public Health , Sexually Transmitted Infections
Alternative Title
Abstract
Purpose:
To assess the knowledge of students from public high schools in poor communities about HPV and Sexually Transmitted Infections and their attitude towards and prevention of such diseases.
Patients and methods:
Cross-sectional study with adolescents from public schools of São Paulo – Brazil. Participants were selected for an interview by a randomization program. A questionnaire about knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding STIs, including HPV, according to sex was administered and answers were analyzed by the Poisson regression model with robust variance.
Results:
Median age of the 269 participants was 16 years. The majority was of African descent (68.8%, n = 185), most (74%, n = 199) were religious and the vast majority (90.7%, n = 244) lived with their parents. The Poisson regression revealed statistically significant sex-related differences regarding the following questions: “Do you know how it is prevented?” (PR = 1.12 [1.03‒1.23], p = 0.007); “Have you ever been concerned with HPV?” (PR = 1.10 [1.02‒1.19], p = 0.011); “Have you ever sought health care due to concerns about HPV?” (PR = 1.09 [1.04‒1.14], p < 0.001); “Do you know what a Pap Smear is?” (PR = 1.24 [1.13‒1.36], p < 0.001); “Do you know what the cervix is?” (PR = 1.23 [1.13‒1.34], p < 0.001); “Do you know what cervical cancer is?” (PR = 1.13 [1.04‒1.22], p = 0.004).
Conclusions:
The present results show that adolescents from public schools in poor communities in São Paulo City know little about HPV and cervical cancer. Male adolescents know less than female adolescents and are less concerned with health care.
Description
Citation
Soares Junior, J. M., de Oliveira, H. M. C., Luquetti, C. M., Zuchelo, L. T. S., de Arruda Veiga, E. C., Raimundo, J. Z., Dos Santos Figueiredo, F. W., Alves, M. S., Sorpreso, I. C. E., & Baracat, E. C. (2022). Adolescents' knowledge of HPV and sexually transmitted infections at public high schools in São Paulo: A cross-sectional study. Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 77, 100138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinsp.2022.100138
Publisher
Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil)