title: Knowledge of Greek adolescents on human papilloma virus (HPV) and vaccination: A national epidemiologic study.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to identify the sexual behavior, attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) focused on human papilloma virus (HPV) in the Greek adolescent population. The participants were 4547 adolescents, a representative sample for Greek territory with a mean age of 17 years. After written permission from Greek ministry of education each student completed a questionnaire with 36 questions. The fields covered were demographic characteristics, sexual life data, and basic knowledge on HPV. In the present study, 43% and 75% of the participants knew about HPV or cervical cancer, while more than 6 out of 10 did not know the association between the 2. More than 60% of the participants could not answer correctly neither about HPV infection and cervical cancer frequency in sexually active women, nor about protection methods against HPV and cervical cancer. This study shows that the low vaccination coverage of the Greek population may be due to lack of information and awareness of the adolescents and their parents. It is our duty to increase our efforts in order to better educate the population and vaccinate the population as early as possible in their reproductive years.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece Department of Statistics, London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom 1st Department of Psychiatry, Cognitive Psychotherapy Department, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National Kapodistrian University of Athens Department of Public and Administrative Health, National School of Public Health Hellenic Anticancer Institute, "Saint Savvas" Hospital 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vaidakis
authors.forename: Irini
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moustaki
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zervas
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barbouni
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Merakou
authors.forename: Maria S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chrysi
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Creatsa
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Panoskaltsis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000472:pathogenicity; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data