To examine Latina college students' sexual health beliefs about human papillomavirus (HPV), 16 self-identified Latina college students from a large Midwestern university participated in three focus groups. The authors found that participants' knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer was extremely low. Women did not obtain Pap screenings consistently, nor did they use condoms in a consistent manner. They perceived that cultural norms that support silence about sexual topics hinder their knowledge acquisition about sexual issues. Participants also recognized that their insufficient knowledge could jeopardize their health and expressed a willingness to actively stop this intergenerational cycle of silence within their families. Findings highlight the importance of incorporating cultural considerations when designing research and educational programs with Latina college students.

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Latinas have disproportionally high rates of cervical cancer in part due to their reliance on Latino partners to make sexual health decisions, their limited knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV), and inconsistent Pap smear screening behaviors. In this qualitative study, we examined the sexual health beliefs of Latino college men regarding HPV. Participants included 6 Mexican American college students from a large Midwestern university. We conducted 18 in-depth individual interviews about men's beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge about HPV. Through theme analysis, we identified 4 themes suggesting that participants' limited knowledge of HPV places their female partners at risk. Implications for health promotion programming are discussed.

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