scholarly journals Knowledge and Practice of Pap Smear and Vaccination Regarding Human Papillomavirus Among Female Medical Students in Karachi, Pakistan

Health Scope ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tafazzul Hyder Zaidi ◽  
Mubashir Zafar ◽  
Sobia Memon ◽  
Mehrunnisa Tufail ◽  
Aqsa Sattar ◽  
...  

Background: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of women’s death in developing countries. The change in the epidemiological trends has been attributed to mass screening with the help of a Pap smear. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the knowledge level and practice regarding a Pap smear and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among female medical students in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 147 participants were selected through multistage stratified random sampling. The knowledge level was categorized as adequate if the participants answered 60% of the items. Questionnaire validity was determined through Cronbach’s alpha value (α = 0.69). Binary logistic regression was applied to determine the factors associated with the knowledge level among the students. A confidence interval (CI) of 95% was considered with a margin of error of 5% and a P-value of 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: Most students (60.5%) had adequate knowledge regarding a Pap smear and HPV vaccination. Only 3.4% of the students underwent a Pap smear test. The most common factors contributing to the knowledge level were marriage (OR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.23 - 11.09; P = 0.003), first academic year of students (OR = 10.78; 95% CI: 1.03 - 12.01; P = 0.046), family history of cancer (OR = 2.76; 95% CI: 1.34 - 7.90; P = 0.004), and family income less than < 100000 Pakistani Rupee (OR = 5.45; 95% CI: 2.09 - 9.06; P = 0.005). Conclusions: Being medical students studying in the first academic year, family history of cancer, and family income less than 100000 Pakistani Rupee had significant effect on knowledge gap about a Pap smear and HPV vaccination. There is a need for an increased level of knowledge in this regard by addressing the risk factors contributing to the knowledge level.

Author(s):  
Miriam da Silva Wanderley ◽  
Dejano Tavares Sobral ◽  
Ceres Nunes Resende ◽  
Lívia de Azevedo Levino ◽  
Luísa de Assis Marques ◽  
...  

Abstract: Introduction: Medical students still have many doubts regarding HPV (Human papillomavirus) and the vaccine against this virus. Objective: The study aimed to assess the University of Brasilia medical students’ grasp of knowledge about HPV, its relationship with cancer, and the vaccine against the virus. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken by applying a survey questionnaire on the topics. The evaluation involved 379 respondents, 72.7% of the 521 students from the 1st to the 6th years enrolled in the second semester of 2017. The statistical analyses included differences between means and proportions, effect size measures, and the correlation between the identified indicators. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee in Research on Human Beings of the School of Medicine (1,989,835). Results: The 50-item knowledge score increased progressively with the year attended by the medical students (r= .706, p< .001), and was higher among the sexually-active compared to celibate participants (t = 3.26, df = 275, p = 0.001, d = 0.37), as well as among participants with higher family income compared to those with lower family income (t= 2.91, df= 366, p= .004, d= .35). No significant score differences emerged between participants grouped by gender, sexual behavior, or HPV vaccination status. Furthermore, gender (female; OR= 6.5, p<.001), age range (<24 years; OR= 3.3, p= .001), sexuality (active; OR= 2.7, p= .002), but not overall knowledge were predictors of the wish to be vaccinated among the 297 unvaccinated students. Conclusion: The study revealed a strong correlation of medical students’ HPV-related knowledge with medical school year and significantly higher scores among sexually active and higher-income respondents, but there were no essential differences between males and females or between vaccinated and unvaccinated students. Among the latter participants, gender, age, and sexuality, but not knowledge, were the best predictors of the wish to be vaccinated. The findings suggest the need for improving HPV screening and vaccination programs and educational strategies regarding HPV-related diseases.


Author(s):  
Alexander L. R. Grewcock ◽  
Karlijn E. P. E. Hermans ◽  
Matty P. Weijenberg ◽  
Piet A. Brandt ◽  
Caroline Loef ◽  
...  

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 631
Author(s):  
Karin Alvarez ◽  
Alessandra Cassana ◽  
Marjorie De La Fuente ◽  
Tamara Canales ◽  
Mario Abedrapo ◽  
...  

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most frequent neoplasm in Chile and its mortality rate is rising in all ages. However, studies characterizing CRC according to the age of onset are still lacking. This study aimed to identify clinical, pathological, and molecular features of CRC in Chilean patients according to the age of diagnosis: early- (≤50 years; EOCRC), intermediate- (51–69 years; IOCRC), and late-onset (≥70 years; LOCRC). The study included 426 CRC patients from Clinica Las Condes, between 2007 and 2019. A chi-square test was applied to explore associations between age of onset and clinicopathological characteristics. Body Mass Index (BMI) differences according to age of diagnosis was evaluated through t-test. Overall (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. We found significant differences between the age of onset, and gender, BMI, family history of cancer, TNM Classification of Malignant Tumors stage, OS, and CSS. EOCRC category was characterized by a family history of cancer, left-sided tumors with a more advanced stage of the disease but better survival at 10 years, and lower microsatellite instability (MSI), with predominant germline mutations. IOCRC has shown clinical similarities with the EOCRC and molecular similarities to the LOCRC, which agrees with other reports.


Cancer ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (2) ◽  
pp. 399-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Orom ◽  
Michele L. Coté ◽  
Hector M. González ◽  
Willie Underwood ◽  
Ann G. Schwartz

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 806-813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee L. Lucas ◽  
Adam Tarlecki ◽  
Kellie Van Beck ◽  
Casey Lipton ◽  
Arindam RoyChoudhury ◽  
...  

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