Department of Community Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Box: 24923, 13110 Safat, Kuwait.
Department of Community Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Box: 24923, 13110 Safat, Kuwait.
J Infect Public Health. 2021 May;14(5):661-667. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2021.01.015. Epub 2021 Feb 8.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. This cross-sectional study among female schoolteachers assessed the prevalence of i) unawareness of HPV infection's causal role in cervical cancer; ii) unawareness of HPV vaccine availability and iii) examined the sociodemographic variables associated both the outcome variables.
This cross-sectional study was conducted among female schoolteachers employed in public and private sectors schools in Kuwait using a structured questionnaire for data collection. Prevalence of each of the outcome variables was computed. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate independent predictors of two dependent variables.
A total 1341 female schoolteachers were enrolled. Of the participants, 60% were unaware of HPV causal role in cervical cancer and 88% were unaware of HPV vaccine availability. Among those who were aware of HPV vaccine availability, 83.8% were unvaccinated. Multivariable logistic regression (MLR) model showed that 20-29 years old participants or those with low family income (< 500 KD/month) were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely to be unaware of HPV causal role in cervical cancer. Moreover, participants with family/ personal history of cervical cancer were significantly (p < 0.05) less likely to be unaware of HPV role in causation of cervical cancer. A separate MLR model revealed that the participants were significantly more likely to be unaware of HPV vaccine availability if they were Kuwaiti nationals or non-Kuwaiti Arabs (p < 0.05), employed in public schools (p = 0.003) or less likely to be unaware if they had personal or family history of cervical cancer (p < 0.001).
High prevalences of unawareness of causal role of HPV in cervical cancer and unawareness of HPV vaccine availability were recorded. Targeted education among identified sociodemographic groups with high levels of unawareness is warranted. If undertaken, future studies may evaluate the impact of recommended efforts.
人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）是生殖道最常见的病毒感染。本项横断面研究对女教师进行了调查，评估了以下方面的流行率：i）对 HPV 感染在宫颈癌中的因果作用的认识不足；ii）对 HPV 疫苗可及性的认识不足；iii）并探讨了与结局变量相关的社会人口学变量。
本项横断面研究在科威特公立和私立学校的女教师中开展，使用结构化问卷进行数据收集。计算了每个结局变量的流行率。采用多变量逻辑回归分析评估了两个因变量的独立预测因素。
共纳入 1341 名女教师。其中，60%的参与者不知道 HPV 在宫颈癌中的因果作用，88%的参与者不知道 HPV 疫苗的可及性。在那些知道 HPV 疫苗可及性的人中，83.8%未接种疫苗。多变量逻辑回归（MLR）模型显示，20-29 岁的参与者或家庭收入较低（<500 科威特第纳尔/月）的参与者更有可能不知道 HPV 在宫颈癌中的因果作用（p<0.05）。此外，有宫颈癌家族/个人病史的参与者不太可能不知道 HPV 在宫颈癌病因学中的作用（p<0.05）。另一个 MLR 模型表明，如果参与者是科威特国民或非科威特阿拉伯人（p<0.05）、在公立学校工作（p=0.003），或者有宫颈癌家族/个人病史（p<0.001），他们更有可能不知道 HPV 疫苗的可及性。
记录到 HPV 在宫颈癌中的因果作用和 HPV 疫苗可及性认知不足的高流行率。需要对具有高认知不足水平的特定社会人口学群体进行有针对性的教育。如果开展此类研究，未来的研究可以评估建议措施的效果。
