title: Perceived Risk of Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Cancer among Adolescent Women in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) are a critical etiologic factor behind cervical cancer. Adolescents are a vulnerable group for HPV infection. However, the literature on adolescent women for HPV infection and cervical cancer is limited. This study was to investigate HPV-related knowledge and perceived risk of HPV infection and cervical cancer among Taiwanese adolescent women in order to assess intervention strategies for prevention of cervical cancer and maintenance of reproductive health.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional study design was implemented. There were 610 adolescent women from three colleges in Southern Taiwan who participated in this study. Data were collected using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the percentage of appropriate answers to HPV-related knowledge questions was only 36.8%, and smoking as the leading cause of cervical cancer received the lowest mean score for appropriate answers among the HPV-related knowledge items. The perceived risk of HPV infection and cervical cancer were moderate, with relatively lower susceptibility to infection with HPV than to cervical cancer (p < .001). Only 11.5% of the participants reported that they had received information about HPV vaccination from healthcare professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants lacked a comprehensive understanding of cervical cancer prevention and were not aware of their susceptibility to HPV infection. Adolescent women rarely obtained HPV-related information from healthcare professionals. Appropriate education strategies should be developed and conducted by healthcare professionals to reduce the risk of cervical cancer threat from adolescence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Shu-Zen College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Lir-Wan
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, College of Medicine and Life Science, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: pochacco2293@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Yu-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: adolescent; human papillomavirus; reproductive health; sexually transmitted diseases; uterine cervical neoplasms