title: Risk perception and sexual behavior in HPV-vaccinated and unvaccinated young Colombian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare sexual behaviors and risk perception between young women vaccinated for HPV and unvaccinated Colombian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional design study, 1436 women (231 adolescents, <18 years; 1205 young women, 18-26 years) completed a self-administered questionnaire between May 2011 and March 2012 in Bogotá, Colombia. Data from vaccinated and unvaccinated women were compared by descriptive statistics and multivariate models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sexual risk behaviors were not associated with vaccination after adjustment for risk perception, age, educational level, and HPV knowledge. By contrast, vaccination was associated with higher routine Pap smear screening (odds ratio [OR], 2.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69-3.28), use of modern contraceptives (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.26-3.22), and consistent use of condoms (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.11-2.01). Vaccinated young women were more likely to have had sex (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.56-2.78), but sexual debut among adolescents was not associated with vaccination. In bivariate and multivariate analyses, vaccination status was negatively associated with perceived risk of HPV infection, warts, and cervical cancer. There was no association between vaccination and perceived risk of sexually transmitted infections in any model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No association was found between changes in risk perception after HPV vaccination and sexual risk behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación Clínica, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia. Electronic address: angela.a.ruiz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Sternberg
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación Clínica, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ángela M
authors.initials: ÁM
authors.lastname: Pinzón-Rondón
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D003105:Colombia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines
keywords: Colombia; HPV; Papillomavirus vaccines; Risk reduction behavior; Sexual behavior; Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)