title: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Concerning Human Papilloma Virus Infection and its Health Effects among Rural Women, Karnataka, South India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is one of the commonest cancers among women all over the world. The association of cervical cancer with human papilloma virus (HPV) is well established. Knowledge about the causal relationship between HPV and cervical cancer is important to make appropriate, evidence-based health care choices. In this context we conducted a community based study among women about the knowledge, attitude and practice about HPV infections and their health effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional interview based house to house survey was conducted with a validated data collection tool covering sociodemographic factors, knowledge, attitude and practice about HPV and its health effects, among 1020 women from a rural village, Perdoor, in Udupi district, Karnataka, India in 2013-14.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of participants was 38.9 years (SD=12.6). Study participants showed a high literacy rate (85.7%). Only 2.4% of sexually exposed women had undergone Pap smear testing. Partners of 4.4%women had undergone circumcision and they belonged to the Muslim community. Male condom usage was reported by 26 women (2.6%). However, none of the participants had heard of HPV and its health effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This community based study found complete ignorance about HPV among rural South Indian women in spite of a high literacy level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virus Research, Manipal University, Manipal, India E-mail : sabeenauthradam@gmail.com, sabeena.s@manipal.edu.
authors.forename: Sasidharanpillai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabeena
authors.forename: Parvati V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.forename: Sushama
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aswathyraj
authors.forename: Govindakarnavar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arunkumar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines