Adolescents' knowledge of HPV and sexually transmitted infections at public high schools in Sao Paulo: A cross-sectional study

Autor(es)

Soares, Jose Maria ; de Oliveira, Hervillin Maria Creusa ; Luquetti, Camilla Maganhin ; Zuchelo, Lea Tami Suzuki ; Veiga, Eduardo Carvalho de Arruda ; Raimundo, Juliana Zangirolami ; Figueiredo, Francisco Winter dos Santos ; Alves, Mayara Souza ; Sorpreso, Isabel Cristina Esposito ; Baracat, Edmund Chada

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Clinics; v. 77, p. 6-pg., 2022-01-01.

Resumo

Purpose: To assess the knowledge of students from public high schools in poor communities about HPV and Sexu-ally Transmitted Infections and their attitude towards and prevention of such diseases. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional study with adolescents from public schools of Sao Paulo - Brazil. Partici-pants 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 ana-lyzed 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 Sao Paulo City know little about HPV and cervical cancer. Male adolescents know less than female adolescents and are less con-cerned with health care. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 16/16847-0 - Eficácia da auto-coleta cervicovaginal no rastreamento do câncer do colo do útero
• Beneficiário: José Maria Soares Junior
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 17/07276-2 - Ação de melatonina nas células da granulosa em mulheres com infertilidade conjugal submetidas a fertilização in vitro
• Beneficiário: Camilla Maganhin Luquetti
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Iniciação Científica