Lack of knowledge regarding HPV and its relation to oropharyngeal cancer among medical students

Abstract

Background: Oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is an important cause of cancer-related mortality. Early detection of OPC results in a favorable prognosis and higher survival rates. Infection by high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is a risk factor for OPC with an upward trend globally. Medical students' knowledge and awareness of HPV-related OPC can be crucial in the preventive efforts.Aim: To assess HPV knowledge among medical students at the University of Jordan, with particular focus on its relation to different cancers.Methods: This paper-based survey study was conducted in November 2019. The survey items were based on previously validated surveys used to evaluate HPV-related OPC knowledge among dental students and professionals. To assess HPV knowledge and students' confidence in personal history taking and physical examination, we developed a knowledge and confidence scores that showed acceptable reliability.Results: The total number of participants was 1198 students, with a median age of 21 and female predominance (n = 697, 58.2%). Among the participants, 93.3% heard of HPV prior to this survey (n = 1118). Higher levels of knowledge regarding cervical cancer, OPC and HPV vaccination was seen among clinical students compared to their preclinical counterparts, but their overall HPV knowledge was low. Only 18.4% and 21.0% of the clinical students correctly identified the association of HPV with penile and oropharyngeal cancers, respectively. Additionally, 34.5% of the clinical students were not aware of the availability of HPV vaccines. The majority of students (92.0%) reported that the university courses were their major source of knowledge about HPV. Conclusion:A profound lack of knowledge regarding HPV role in OPC was found among medical students. This insufficiency included several aspects of the virus and its associated diseases. Such gaps in knowledge could have negative consequences in early detection and prevention of OPC and should be addressed by evaluation of the current curriculum.Ayat Al-Haidar, Hajar Ettarras, and Dania Jaafreh have contributed equally to this work.

HIV Knowledge and Stigmatizing Attitude towards People Living with HIV/AIDS among Medical Students in Jordan

“…This might be related to the gradual acquisition of knowledge and skills over their years of study, which was evident by the results of this study for the majority of HIV knowledge items. Higher levels of knowledge among clinical students compared to their pre-clinical counterparts were also reported in recent studies addressing HPV knowledge among medical and dental students in Jordan and Saudi Arabia [ 33 , 34 , 72 ]. A similar pattern was observed among medical students in Israel and Malaysia and was attributed to the progressive exposure to more medical information (including those pertinent to HIV/AIDS) by advancing through curriculum years [ 41 , 73 ].…”

“…Finally, previous studies among college students in the MENA region have shown severe gaps in knowledge regarding STIs in general and HIV/AIDS in particular [ 33 , 56 , 57 ]. Therefore, the assessment of HIV/AIDS knowledge and the stigmatizing attitude towards PLWHA appears invaluable as an initial step to tailor well-informed actions.…”

“…Thus, such culturally sensitive topics can result in less orientation and discussion—even within the medical field—with subsequent lack of knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and stigmatization towards the affected groups [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. This lack of knowledge has been demonstrated in recent studies involving HIV and the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is another causative agent of STIs [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. The concentration of HIV infection among marginalized, and often neglected populations (e.g., female sex workers (FSWs), men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users (IDUs), and prisoners) further augments the problem of stigmatization and discrimination [ 37 , 38 , 39 ].…”

Identification Level of Awareness and Knowledge of Emirati Men about HPV

“…The usual education and education for healthcare personnel should address gender prejudice. It is possible to increase vaccination rates by implementing systems-level methods, such as policy, that make vaccination recommendations routine [ 19 , 37 , 39 , 40 ].…”

How Much Do Medical Students Know About Cancer Risk Factors?

“…In a study conducted in Malaysia, 53.7% of medical students stated HPV as a risk factor for oral cancer [10]. In Jordan, 84.8% of medical students stated that HPV poses a risk for cervical cancer and 21.0% for oropharyngeal cancer [19]. In a study conducted with university students in the USA, 82% of the students noted HPV as a risk factor for cervical cancer and 24% for head and neck cancer [17].…”