72% of people do not fully understand HPV

New research conducted by Behavior and Attitudes on behalf of MSD Ireland, interviewing a sample of over 1,000 people in Ireland, has shown that around 7 in 10 people do not fully understand HPV.

Even though most people will be infected with some form of HPV in their lifetime, research shows that more than half of those surveyed think it is rare in Ireland, with only 4% of them correctly identifying the disease. HPV as extremely common.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently launched a global initiative to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 with a focus on prevention through vaccination, screening and treatment of lesions precancerous. Raising awareness of HPV and its prevalence in Ireland is essential.

What is HPV and what cancers can it cause?
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common and highly contagious family of viruses that are spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact.

It is so common that almost all sexually active men and women contract HPV at some point in their life.

There are over 100 different types of HPV, and most infections have no symptoms and go away naturally. However, when HPV infection does not go away naturally, it can lead to certain cancers in both men and women.

HPV causes 1 in 20 cancers worldwide and is one of the leading causes of cervical cancer. It also causes a significant number of cancers of the vagina, vulva and anus, as well as genital warts.

In Ireland, HPV infection caused up to 420 cases of cancer in men and women each year between 2010 and 2014, and up to 130 people died in Ireland each year from HPV-related cancers.

Boys and girls
The survey also revealed different attitudes of parents between their sons and daughters, despite the HPV infection affecting both men and women.

Of those surveyed, 54% said they were worried about their sons ‘contact with HPV, but 77% worried about their daughters’ contact with HPV.

About 1 in 3 people say they don’t know whether HPV can cause cancer in men or not, although there is a year-over-year growth in knowledge of a link.

64% of parents said they would like to be invited to a school meeting to discuss immunization when their child is in 6th grade.

The vaccine
The recent survey was carried out ahead of this fall’s national HPV vaccination program in Ireland, which is offered to grade one boys and girls.

When it comes to vaccinations, the survey found positive changes in public perceptions and awareness of HPV prevention, with 74% of parents saying they knew of a vaccine to prevent HPV.

The survey also found that 63% of those surveyed believe that girls and boys should be vaccinated against HPV.

Speaking of the new findings, Rachel Morrogh, Advocacy Director for the Irish Cancer Society, said:

“Thanks to scientific breakthroughs and amazing research, we are incredibly fortunate to have a vaccine that can prevent many HPV-related cancers and is available free to first-grade girls and boys in September.”

“The Irish Cancer Society encourages all eligible boys and girls, and their families to learn about what HPV is, what cancers HPV can cause, the benefits of this vaccination, and to seek reliable sources of information. ahead of the school vaccination rollout this month. “

“We have within our reach to save over 130 lives each year in Ireland.”

HPV and cervical cancer
According to the survey, 58% now know that HPV can cause cancer. When asked if there is a cure for HPV, however, more than half said they did not know, and 10% said “No, there is not”.

Drawing on the important role of public awareness campaigns, Bernie Carter, Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Marie Keating Foundation, said:

“Cervical cancer, which is primarily caused by HPV, is cancer that can be eliminated. The World Health Organization’s drive to eliminate HPV-related cancers through a three-pillar approach that includes cancer prevention, detection and management could reduce more than 40% new cases of the disease and 5 million related deaths by 2050. “