Knowledge about HPV and related cancers (2011)
Undergraduates: Maria Casarrubias Ramirez, Taylor Brown,Steven Castillo,Donna Egbulem,Alesha Majors,Caroline Rekuc,Lauren Brown, Monica Chioke Sara Massie, Randi Gordon
Faculty Advisor: Tamera Coyne-Beasley
Department: Communication Studies
Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection passed on through manual, vaginal, anal, and oral sex as well as genital to genital contact. The virus infects both males and females and it can be passed on unknowingly because it often has no signs or symptoms. Cervical cancer is the most common HPV associated cancer; HPV causes 100% of cervical cancers, approximately 40% of vulvar cancers, 70% of vaginal cancers, 40% of penile cancers, 85% of anal cancers, and 30% of mouth and throat cancers.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore parents’ knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and disease in males and females. It is believed that many parents are either misinformed or uninformed about HPV and its associated cancers.
Methods: Parents of sons aged 9-17 years old completed a 15 minute questionnaire in the office of their son’s physician about their knowledge of cancers caused by HPV.
Results: One-hundred seventy-two parents completed the questionnaire. Thirty-eight percent of parents reported that they did not know that HPV causes anal cancer; 11% reported it was true, and 9% reported false. Likewise, most parents responded that they did not know that HPV causes mouth and throat cancer (39%), penile cancer (40%), vaginal cancer (35%) and vulvar cancer (42%). Less than 17% of parents reported that it was true that HPV causes any of these cancers. Most parents knew that HPV causes cervical cancer, 59% reported true versus 37% reported they did not know.
Conclusion: The majority of parents of sons aged 9-17 were unaware of most cancers caused by HPV infection except for cervical cancer.