Relationship among risk factors related to Human Papillomavirus infection among youth

Oh, Jin Kyoung; Ju, Young Hee; Yoon, Dong Young; Jung, Kap Yeol; Jung, Se Il; Shin, Hai Rim

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the prevalence and related risk factors of infection with human papillomavirus(HPV) in young adults, and the interrelationships among the risk factors, school-based survey was conducted in Busan.
METHODS
A total of 1,430 male and female students(aged 16~25) participated in the survey that included self-administered questionnaire and, for males, physician-performed collection of exfoliated genital cells, for females, self-collection of vaginal cells. The prevalences of 25 HPV types were evaluated by a polymerase chain reaction-based assay.
RESULTS
HPV DNA detected more frequently in female students(15.2%) than in male students(8.7%). In female students, currently smoking cigarettes(OR=3.8, 95% CI=1.7~8.3) and having had penetrative sexual intercourse(OR=12.7, 95% CI=7.2~22.2) were the significant risk factors for HPV infection; in male students, there was nothing to show statistical significance. Smoking rate was 53.8% in males and 17.7% in females, and 55.6% of male students and 25.9% of female students reported having had a sexual intercourse. Smokers were more likely to have had a sexual intercourse than nonsmokers(OR=4.0, 95% CI=2.5~6.2, males; OR=9.1, 95% CI=5.6~14.7, females).
CONCLUSIONS
According to the strong interrelationship between sexual intercourse and smoking, multilateral behavioral intervention is needed to prevent infection with HPV.