title: The burden of genital warts: a study of nearly 70,000 women from the general female population in the 4 Nordic countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the burden and correlates of genital warts in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in 69,147 women (18-45 years of age) randomly chosen from the general population in Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Information on clinically diagnosed genital warts and lifestyle habits was collected using a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 10.6% reported ever having had clinically diagnosed genital warts. In addition, 1.3% reported having experienced genital warts within the past 12 months. The cumulative incidence for different birth cohorts, estimated on the basis of age at first diagnosis of genital warts, increased with each subsequent younger birth cohort (P<.01). The lifetime number of sex partners was strongly correlated with a history of genital warts (odds ratio for > or =15 partners vs. 1 partner, 9.45 [95% confidence interval, 7.89-11.30]). The likelihood of reporting genital warts also increased with a history of sexually transmitted disease, use of hormonal contraceptives, use of condoms, smoking, and higher education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that 1 in 10 women in the Nordic countries experience genital warts before the age of 45 years, with an increasing occurrence in younger birth cohorts. These data are important for developing and evaluating strategies (e.g., human papillomavirus [HPV] vaccination) to control and prevent HPV infection and disease in the population.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark. susanne@cancer.dk
authors.forename: Susanne Krüger
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kjaer
authors.forename: Trung Nam
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Par
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sparen
authors.forename: Laufey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tryggvadottir
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munk
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dasbach
authors.forename: Kai-Li
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Liaw
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nygård
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nygård
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries / Q000453:epidemiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires