title: Knowledge of human papillomavirus and cervical cancer among young women recruited using a social networking site.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the commonest sexually transmitted infection. Despite the significant morbidity and mortality associated with HPV-related diseases, previous studies have demonstrated low HPV knowledge in the general population. The objectives of this study were to assess knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV among young women and investigate predictors of high knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female subjects, aged 16-25 years living in Victoria, Australia, were recruited using targeted advertising on Facebook from May to September 2010. A web-based questionnaire was used in a cross-sectional pilot study for a large longitudinal study on women's health, The Young Female Health Initiative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 278 women completed the questionnaire. The geographic region, indigenous status and socio-economic status of participants were representative of the target population. Overall, 63% knew what HPV was, but only 48% knew it was a common virus. Predictors of high HPV knowledge on multivariate analyses were older age (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.78, 95% CI 0.77 to 10.04), higher socio-economic status (aOR 1.39, 95% CI 0.66 to 2.95), being Australian-born (aOR 3.10, 95% CI 1.15 to 8.36), older age at first vaginal intercourse (aOR 1.84, 95% CI 0.66 to 5.14), awareness of HPV vaccines (aOR 2.16, 95% CI 0.68 to 6.85) and chlamydia (aOR 2.57, 95% CI 1.11 to 5.94), and self-reported HPV vaccination status (aOR 1.83, 95% CI 0.76 to 4.41).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPV and cervical cancer knowledge among participants were relatively high compared with other studies conducted both worldwide and in Australia. However, deficits in knowledge exist and warrant address in educational initiatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Bharathy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gunasekaran
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jayasinghe
authors.forename: Yeshe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fenner
authors.forename: Elya E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wark
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Sepehr N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Tabrizi
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Garland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D060756:Social Networking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines