title: Knowledge of sexually transmitted HPV infection, genitoanal warts, cancer and their prevention among young females after vaccine introduction in Germany.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) high-risk types cause carcinoma and low-risk types lead to warts of genitoanal area. Since the HPV vaccine has been introduced, awareness of HPV infection, prevention and health-related behaviour have not been studied in a large sample of young women in Germany.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of awareness and health-related behaviour regarding HPV infection and prevention among young German females.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2010, a postal cross-sectional survey was conducted with a random representative sample size (n = 2000) of females aged 19-35 attending Germany's largest (comprehensive) university, which was designed to obtain data about socio-demographics, the awareness of sexually transmitted HPV, genitoanal neoplasms and their prevention, HPV vaccine, immunisation and cervical cancer screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 547 (27.3%) participants, 69.1% had heard of HPV, 62.5% were aware of the vaccine, 14.4% were vaccinated and 6.9% reported a history of sexually transmitted infection, including HPV (2.7%). The HPV-related knowledge among those who had heard of it was high (75.1-99.7%), except of that HPV affects men (52.9%) and HPV's causative role in genital (54.2%) and anal (35.6%) warts, and smoking (11.3%) as an HPV risk factor. The lower HPV knowledge score (<median = 12, ranged 1-17) was predicted by studying social sciences/humanities (OR = 3.68, 95% CI 1.99-6.79) and non-participation in cervical cancer screening (OR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.02-4.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey reveals an insufficient HPV awareness and low vaccination prevalence among young German women, underscoring the urgent need for HPV-related education aimed at reducing the burden of HPV-induced genitoanal neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Group, Department of Dermatology & Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, GermanyCancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UKDepartment of Dermatology & Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kuznetsov
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruzicka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Herzinger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuznetsov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001004:Anus Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D001364:Awareness; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005858:Germany; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D000068857:Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine Quadrivalent, Types 6, 11, 16, 18; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000068857:Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine Quadrivalent, Types 6, 11, 16, 18; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines