title: [Knowledge and preventive behaviors related to cervical cancer and human papiloma virus in a group of Chilean adolescents].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The human papilloma virus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection in young people and recognized as the most important risk factor for cervical cancer (CC).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the degree of knowledge that a group of Chilean teenagers have of HPV infection, CC, and its relationship with preventive behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an analytical study, with a random sample of 226 adolescents from three public schools of the Metropolitan Region in Santiago.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A fifth of the interviewed students did not know there was a HPV vaccine. Multiple sexual partners was indicated as a risk factor of CC by 70.8% and of HPV infection by 78.3% of them; while 60.3% identified inheritance as a risk factor. HPV transmission through unprotected sexual relations was identified by 68.2% of the sample. Of sexually active adolescents, condom use during sexual relations was reported by 31.1%. The adolescents who use condoms significantly have more knowledge regarding the number of sexual partners and age of first sexual intercourse as a risk factor for CC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  adolescents know about HPV transmission, however, the preventing conducts are not related to this information.
authors: Escuela de Enfermería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.
authors: M Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Urrutia
authors: Ximena
authors: X
authors: Concha
authors: Giselle
authors: G
authors: Riquelme
authors: Oslando
authors: O
authors: Padilla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002677:Chile; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult