title: Demographic and High-Risk Behaviors associated with HPV and HPV Vaccine Awareness among Persons Aged 15-74 Years in Puerto Rico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies of human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness in Puerto Rico (PR) are limited and are of interest given low HPV vaccine uptake in this population. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine factors associated to HPV and HPV vaccine awareness among persons aged 15-74 years living in Puerto Rico.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed data from a sub-sample of 1,476 men and women who participated in a 2008 population-based island-wide household survey and who completed an HPV module. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with HPV and HPV vaccine awareness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 37.2% of participants had heard about HPV and 33.4% had heard of the vaccine. Multivariate logistic regression showed that women were more likely to have heard of HPV (OR adjusted: 4.54; 95% CI=3.45, 5.98) or of the HPV vaccine (OR adjusted: 6.15; 95% CI=4.50, 8.40) as compared to men. HPV awareness was also lower among older adults, persons with lower income and with lower educational attainment, those without children and smokers (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In 2008, two years after the introduction of the first HPV vaccine in PR and the US, public awareness about HPV infection and the HPV vaccine was lower in Hispanics in PR as compared to other populations. Identified high-risk populations should be targeted in preventive care strategies. Future efforts should increase HPV knowledge and vaccine use in this population in order to maximize the impact of vaccination programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Carola T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Díaz
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tortolero-Luna
authors.affiliation: PR Center for Sociomedical Research and Evaluation, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Hector M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Colón
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR; Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Ana Patricia
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Ortiz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012309:Risk-Taking; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines
keywords: Awareness; HPV; HPV vaccine; Puerto Rico