Cervical cancer and the HPV link: identifying areas for education in Mexico City's public hospitals.
OBJECTIVE
To assess Mexico City physicians' knowledge and practices regarding cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) to compare obstetricians/gynecologists (ob/gyns) and general practitioners (GPs) on these variables.


METHODS
In April 2003, 187 ob/gyns and GPs working in 15 hospitals affiliated with the Federal District Secretary of Health (SSDF) completed a self-administered questionnaire. Pearson's chi-square tests were used to compare ob/ gyns and GPs on outcome variables.


RESULTS
Nearly all providers (93%) identified HPV as the principal cause of cervical cancer. Ob/gyns had more detailed knowledge about HPV than GPs and were more likely to have heard of common oncogenic strains (p = .000). Sixteen percent of all physicians incorrectly stated that Pap tests should be performed every six months regardless of previous results, and 17% recommended hysterectomy as an option for treating mild or moderate dysplasia.


CONCLUSIONS
While SSDF physicians had basic knowledge about the cervical cancer-HPV link, screening and management norms are priority areas for educational interventions.
Aldrich
Tess
T
Program Research Coordinator, Gynuity Health Projects, New York, NY, USA.
Landis
Sarah
S
García
Sandra G
SG
Becker
Davida
D
Sanhueza
Patricio
P
Higuera
Anjarath
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*