The importance of psychosocial factors in the prevention of HPV infection and cervical cancer.
This article presents a review of psychosocial factors associated with the primary and secondary prevention of cervical cancer. Current research evidence convincingly links the presence of the human papillomavirus (HPV) to the development of cervical cancer suggesting that bringing together knowledge from the Papanicolau smear screening and HPV infection research may help formulate a new approach that bridges primary and secondary prevention strategies. Bringing together these 2 areas of research involves an understanding of the psychosocial factors that underlie both. This review will specifically focus on 3 areas of psychosocial research: (1) sexual behaviours associated with HPV infection; (2) knowledge, attitudes and beliefs associated with Pap smear and HPV screening; and (3) the role of the medical provider in facilitating prevention activities.
Fernández-Esquer
M E
ME
WHO Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of Texas, Houston School of Public Health, 77225, USA.
Ross
M W
MW
Torres
I
I
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears