Presenters: Mikel Cressman ; Sylvia Brown ; Leini Jenkins
Authors: Sylvia Brown, Mikel Cressman, Leini Jenkins, Abigail Williams
Faculty Advisor: Wendy Birmingham
Institution: Brigham Young University
Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the worldcontributing to negative health conditions in both men and women. However, when comparing knowledge about HPV, women show having more knowledge about HPV. Research has shown more women were aware of the virus than men. Other studies found that scores for HPV knowledge were higher for women than for men. Women also initiate HPV vaccination more than men with more knowledge about HPV associated with being vaccinated. Such findings suggest that gender comparisons in HPV research should be considered when discussing HPV prevention. Hypothesis: Young adult women have more knowledge about HPV than young adult men. Methods: A total of 1302 young adults (men: n=393; women: n=909) were surveyed on their level of knowledge concerning HPV. Each answered various knowledge-based questions related to HPV. Logistic regression was performed to conclude whether women have more knowledge about HPV than men. Results: All our HPV knowledge measures were statistically significant (<.05) in our logistic regression models. These 9 HPV knowledge questions were: general HPV knowledge (p < .001), knowledge of HPV commonality within woman (p < .001), knowledge of HPV commonality within men (p < .001), HPV’s risk of genital herpes (p < .001), HPV’s risk of genital warts (p = .001), HPV’s risk of oral cancer (p < .001) HPV’s risk of anal cancer (p = .005) HPV’s risk of cervical cancer (p < .001), and knowledge of HPV being sexually transmitted (p = .001). Conclusion: Our data show that women are more likely to be knowledgeable about HPV than men. Our sample contained more women than men. Research including equal amounts of men and women could further investigate this relationship.