title: Prevalence of high-risk HPV types and abnormal cervical cytology in American Indian/Alaska Native women, 2003-2005.
abstract: OBJECTIVES; We described prevalence estimates of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), HPV types 16 and 18, and abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smear tests among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women compared with women of other races/ethnicities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 9,706 women presenting for cervical screening in a sentinel network of 26 clinics (sexually transmitted disease, family planning, and primary care) received Pap smears and HR-HPV type-specific testing. We compared characteristics of 291 women self-identified as AI/AN with other racial/ethnic minority groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our population, AI/AN and non-Hispanic white (NHW) women had similar age- and clinic-adjusted prevalences of HR-HPV (29.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 23.9, 34.3 for AI/AN women vs. 25.8%, 95% CI 24.4, 27.2 for NHW women), HPV 16 and 18 (6.7%, 95% CI 3.9, 9.6 for AI/AN women vs. 8.8%, 95% CI 7.9, 9.7 for NHW women), and abnormal Pap smear test results (16%, 95% CI 11.7, 20.3 for AI/AN women vs. 14.9%, 95% CI 13.7, 16.0 for NHW women). AI/AN women had a higher prevalence of HR-HPV than Hispanic women, and a similar prevalence of HPV 16 and 18 as compared with Hispanic and African American women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We could not demonstrate differences in the prevalence of HR-HPV, HPV 16 and 18, or abnormal Pap smear test results between AI/AN and NHW women. This finding should improve confidence in the benefit of HPV vaccine and Pap smear screening in the AI/AN population as an effective strategy to reduce rates of cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Denver Public Health, Denver Health Medical Center, 301 W. Sixth Ave., MC0151, Denver, CO 80204, USA. Grace.Alfonsi@dhha.org
authors.forename: Grace A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Alfonsi
authors.forename: S Deblina
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mickiewicz
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Koutsky
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagensee
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kerndt
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hillard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weinstock
authors.forename: Judith C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shlay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D052161:Human papillomavirus 18 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000821:virology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014626:Vaginal Smears