Dodd Rachael H, Forster Alice S, Waller Jo, Marlow Laura A V
Cancer Communication & Screening Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, UCL, Gower Street, WC1E6BT, United Kingdom.
Cancer Communication & Screening Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, UCL, Gower Street, WC1E6BT, United Kingdom.
Oral Oncol. 2017 May;68:67-73. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2017.03.014. Epub 2017 Apr 1.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is now known to cause a significant proportion of head and neck cancers (HNC). Qualitative research has shown that some health professionals find it difficult to discuss HPV with patients due to its sexually transmitted nature, and have concerns about their own knowledge of the virus. We used a survey to quantify attitudes towards discussing HPV among HNC health professionals.
We carried out a cross-sectional survey of HNC health professionals (n=260) in the UK and Ireland, assessing participants' knowledge of HPV, their experiences of and attitudes towards discussing HPV with patients, and their willingness to discuss HPV with their patients in the future.
Overall, health professionals had good knowledge of HPV (mean score: 9.97 out of 12). Oncologists had significantly greater knowledge than specialist nurses, speech and language therapists and 'other' health professionals. Most were willing to discuss HPV with patients (mean=4.3 out of 5). Willingness to discuss HPV in the future was associated with higher HPV knowledge (r=0.35, p<0.001), fewer negative and more positive attitudes towards discussing HPV (r=-0.23 and r=0.20 respectively, both p<0.001), fewer personal barriers (r=-0.49, p<0.001) and greater confidence (r=0.58, p<0.001).
Knowledge, experiences and attitudes to discussing HPV varied across HNC health professionals. Addressing gaps in health professionals' HPV knowledge and improving their confidence in discussing HPV with patients may increase their willingness to have such conversations. This may help minimise the negative psychosocial consequences of an HPV diagnosis in this patient group.
目前已知人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）会引发相当一部分的头颈癌（HNC）。定性研究表明，一些医疗保健专业人员因HPV的性传播性质，觉得很难与患者讨论该病毒，且对自身关于该病毒的知识也有所担忧。我们通过一项调查来量化头颈癌医疗保健专业人员对于讨论HPV的态度。
我们对英国和爱尔兰的头颈癌医疗保健专业人员（n = 260）开展了一项横断面调查，评估参与者对HPV的了解、他们与患者讨论HPV的经历和态度，以及他们未来与患者讨论HPV的意愿。
总体而言，医疗保健专业人员对HPV有较好的了解（平均得分：满分12分中的9.97分）。肿瘤学家的了解程度明显高于专科护士、言语和语言治疗师以及其他医疗保健专业人员。大多数人愿意与患者讨论HPV（平均得分：满分5分中的4.3分）。未来讨论HPV的意愿与更高的HPV知识水平相关（r = 0.35, p < 0.001），对讨论HPV的负面态度较少且正面态度较多（分别为r = -0.23和r = 0.20，p均< 0.001），个人障碍较少（r = -0.49, p < 0.001）以及信心更强（r = 0.58, p < 0.001）。
头颈癌医疗保健专业人员在讨论HPV的知识、经历和态度方面存在差异。弥补医疗保健专业人员在HPV知识方面的差距，并提高他们与患者讨论HPV的信心，可能会增加他们进行此类对话的意愿。这可能有助于将该患者群体中HPV诊断带来的负面社会心理后果降至最低。
