A Pilot Study on the Knowledge of HPV Infection and Risk Factors among Mexican Undergraduate Students

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease.Most uterine cervix and oropharynx cancer originate from some HPV-type infections.Sexually active young women are at the highest risk.We assessed the knowledge about HPV and its consequences in 217 university students, who responded a questionnaire addressing demographic and sexual life characteristics.Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, x2and bivariate lineal regression.Students were from biology-oriented and mathematics-oriented schools.The first had a satisfactory level of knowledge; women were better informed.Some sexually active students were well-aware of HPV infection as a risk for cervical and oropharyngeal cancer.Sexual education covering this important aspect of public health is utterly important.