title: [Human Papillomavirus infection and vaccination: knowledge and attitudes of Italian general practitioners].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess General Pratictioner's (GPs) knowledge and attitudes about HPV infection and prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semi-structured survey was conducted from November to December 2013 among Italian GPs. Descriptive and univariate analyses were carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  938 GPs were included in the study. 15% participated in continuing medical education courses focusing on HPV. GPs identified as HPV transmission routes: sexual (100%), cutaneous (15%), transplacental (13%), haematic (9%) and by air (2%); they considered HPV-related diseases: cervical (98%), vulvar and vaginal (42%), anal (39%), penile (38%) and oral (38%) cancer, genital warts (79%) and respiratory papillomatosis (12%). They knew HPV vaccination is to prevent HPV-associated cancer (60%), in particular cervical cancer (35%), genital warts (3%) and sexually transmitted diseases (2%). A total of 73% were aware of the existence of both available vaccines, 69% believed that immunization target population should be females before initiation of sexual activity, 87% knew the age of vaccine administration. No significant difference in knowledge was retrieved by age, gender, level of education or region of origin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report a lack of knowledge on HPV infection and vaccination in GPs. GPs have a key role in the Italian health system. Although 12-year old patients are a small percentage of their patients, it is of fundamental importance to promote medical education and training among GPs in order to meet HPV coverage targets and control HPV-associated diseases.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di scienze biomediche, biotecnologiche e traslazionali, S.Bi.Bi.T., Unità di sanità pubblica, Università degli studi di Parma. carlo.signorelli@unipr.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Signorelli
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Odone
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pezzetti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spagnoli
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Visciarelli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Camia
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Latini
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ciorba
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agodi
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barchitta
authors.forename: Silvestro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Misericordia
authors.forename: Cesira
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pasquarella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines