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Knowledge, Sexual Behaviors on Human Papillomavirus Infections and Associated Factors: Survey Among Female Adolescents and Adults in the Republic of Congo

Received: 26 April 2023    Accepted: 17 May 2023    Published: 29 May 2023
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Abstract

Background. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is sexually transmitted and responsible for anogenital warts and malignancies but its early diagnosis is hampered by the people’s lack of knowledge about the disease and prevention methods, especially in resource-limited countries. Objective. The study was designed to determine knowledge; attitudes and practices toward HPV infection in an urban women community, and evaluate the factors that are associated with HPV-related disease’s lack of knowledge. Method. Between February 2021 and August 2022, a cross sectional and prospective study was conducted in Pointe-Noire (PNR) and Brazzaville (BZV) region within the Republic of Congo. Anonymous questionnaire was used to explore demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Data analysis were performed using StataSE11 software (version 11 SE). Results. Overall 250 (96.2%) of 260 people surveyed agreed to participate and of these, 70.4% were recruited in Brazzaville and, the mean age was 20.9 (min-max: 15-35) years. A low proportion (21.6%) of women reported knowing what HPV is and of these, only 40.7% had adequate knowledge of HPV. 17.2% reported a knowledge of cervical cancer, 12.0% an adequate preventive measures and all of them were adults. The mean age of first sexual intercourse was 16.8 (IQ25-75%: 16-18) years and statistically earlier in the adolescents (p=0.0001). The mean number of sexual partners was 2.6 (IQ25-75%: 1-3). 56.8% of participants use condoms regularly and 10.4% occasionally and, less than one-third used oral contraception. Only 3 participants received HPV vaccine. HPV infection were found in 38.0% of participants, and significantly lower among adults than adolescents (10% vs 45.7%; OR=5.43, 95%CI: 1.97-14.97, p=0.001) and, than young adults (42.9%; OR=1.04, 95%CI: 3.24-33.06, p<0.0001). Participants with more than two sexual partners are twice for acquiring HPV infection (aOR=2.36, 95%CI: 1.33-4.21, p=0.003). Study area (aOR = 0.17, p = 0.0001), age > 18 years (aOR = 2.54, p = 0.03) and age at first intercourse (17 – 21 years) (aOR = 0.40, p = 0.04) were determinants of HPV knowledge. Study area (aOR = 0.03, p = 0.0001), age > 18 years (aOR = 6.18, p = 0.009), concubinage (aOR = 0.14, p = 0.001) and 3-4 sexual partners (aOR = 5.18, p = 0.004) were determinants of cervical cancer knowledge. Conclusion. These results highlight the important of developing and implementing appropriate outreach strategies to improve patient awareness and knowledge of HPV-related diseases and to promote HPV vaccination uptake targeting adolescents and young adults in the Republic of Congo.

Published in Cancer Research Journal (Volume 11, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14
Page(s) 59-69
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Sexual Behavior, Knowledge, Human Papillomavirus, Cervical Cancer, Adolescents, Adults, The Republic of Congo

References
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    Roch Bredin Bissala Nkounkou, Estelle Géraldine Essangui Same, Loic Pradel Kojom Foko, Parfait Christy Nganga, Paola Candyse Tsimba Lemba, et al. (2023). Knowledge, Sexual Behaviors on Human Papillomavirus Infections and Associated Factors: Survey Among Female Adolescents and Adults in the Republic of Congo. Cancer Research Journal, 11(2), 59-69. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14

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    Roch Bredin Bissala Nkounkou; Estelle Géraldine Essangui Same; Loic Pradel Kojom Foko; Parfait Christy Nganga; Paola Candyse Tsimba Lemba, et al. Knowledge, Sexual Behaviors on Human Papillomavirus Infections and Associated Factors: Survey Among Female Adolescents and Adults in the Republic of Congo. Cancer Res. J. 2023, 11(2), 59-69. doi: 10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14

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    AMA Style

    Roch Bredin Bissala Nkounkou, Estelle Géraldine Essangui Same, Loic Pradel Kojom Foko, Parfait Christy Nganga, Paola Candyse Tsimba Lemba, et al. Knowledge, Sexual Behaviors on Human Papillomavirus Infections and Associated Factors: Survey Among Female Adolescents and Adults in the Republic of Congo. Cancer Res J. 2023;11(2):59-69. doi: 10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14,
      author = {Roch Bredin Bissala Nkounkou and Estelle Géraldine Essangui Same and Loic Pradel Kojom Foko and Parfait Christy Nganga and Paola Candyse Tsimba Lemba and Austin Mas Ngoulou Ntsiba and Luc Magloire Anicet Boumba and Fabien Roch Niama and Carole Else Eboumbou Moukoko},
      title = {Knowledge, Sexual Behaviors on Human Papillomavirus Infections and Associated Factors: Survey Among Female Adolescents and Adults in the Republic of Congo},
      journal = {Cancer Research Journal},
      volume = {11},
      number = {2},
      pages = {59-69},
      doi = {10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.crj.20231102.14},
      abstract = {Background. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is sexually transmitted and responsible for anogenital warts and malignancies but its early diagnosis is hampered by the people’s lack of knowledge about the disease and prevention methods, especially in resource-limited countries. Objective. The study was designed to determine knowledge; attitudes and practices toward HPV infection in an urban women community, and evaluate the factors that are associated with HPV-related disease’s lack of knowledge. Method. Between February 2021 and August 2022, a cross sectional and prospective study was conducted in Pointe-Noire (PNR) and Brazzaville (BZV) region within the Republic of Congo. Anonymous questionnaire was used to explore demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Data analysis were performed using StataSE11 software (version 11 SE). Results. Overall 250 (96.2%) of 260 people surveyed agreed to participate and of these, 70.4% were recruited in Brazzaville and, the mean age was 20.9 (min-max: 15-35) years. A low proportion (21.6%) of women reported knowing what HPV is and of these, only 40.7% had adequate knowledge of HPV. 17.2% reported a knowledge of cervical cancer, 12.0% an adequate preventive measures and all of them were adults. The mean age of first sexual intercourse was 16.8 (IQ25-75%: 16-18) years and statistically earlier in the adolescents (p=0.0001). The mean number of sexual partners was 2.6 (IQ25-75%: 1-3). 56.8% of participants use condoms regularly and 10.4% occasionally and, less than one-third used oral contraception. Only 3 participants received HPV vaccine. HPV infection were found in 38.0% of participants, and significantly lower among adults than adolescents (10% vs 45.7%; OR=5.43, 95%CI: 1.97-14.97, p=0.001) and, than young adults (42.9%; OR=1.04, 95%CI: 3.24-33.06, pp = 0.0001), age > 18 years (aOR = 2.54, p = 0.03) and age at first intercourse (17 – 21 years) (aOR = 0.40, p = 0.04) were determinants of HPV knowledge. Study area (aOR = 0.03, p = 0.0001), age > 18 years (aOR = 6.18, p = 0.009), concubinage (aOR = 0.14, p = 0.001) and 3-4 sexual partners (aOR = 5.18, p = 0.004) were determinants of cervical cancer knowledge. Conclusion. These results highlight the important of developing and implementing appropriate outreach strategies to improve patient awareness and knowledge of HPV-related diseases and to promote HPV vaccination uptake targeting adolescents and young adults in the Republic of Congo.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Knowledge, Sexual Behaviors on Human Papillomavirus Infections and Associated Factors: Survey Among Female Adolescents and Adults in the Republic of Congo
    AU  - Roch Bredin Bissala Nkounkou
    AU  - Estelle Géraldine Essangui Same
    AU  - Loic Pradel Kojom Foko
    AU  - Parfait Christy Nganga
    AU  - Paola Candyse Tsimba Lemba
    AU  - Austin Mas Ngoulou Ntsiba
    AU  - Luc Magloire Anicet Boumba
    AU  - Fabien Roch Niama
    AU  - Carole Else Eboumbou Moukoko
    Y1  - 2023/05/29
    PY  - 2023
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14
    DO  - 10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14
    T2  - Cancer Research Journal
    JF  - Cancer Research Journal
    JO  - Cancer Research Journal
    SP  - 59
    EP  - 69
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8214
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.crj.20231102.14
    AB  - Background. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is sexually transmitted and responsible for anogenital warts and malignancies but its early diagnosis is hampered by the people’s lack of knowledge about the disease and prevention methods, especially in resource-limited countries. Objective. The study was designed to determine knowledge; attitudes and practices toward HPV infection in an urban women community, and evaluate the factors that are associated with HPV-related disease’s lack of knowledge. Method. Between February 2021 and August 2022, a cross sectional and prospective study was conducted in Pointe-Noire (PNR) and Brazzaville (BZV) region within the Republic of Congo. Anonymous questionnaire was used to explore demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Data analysis were performed using StataSE11 software (version 11 SE). Results. Overall 250 (96.2%) of 260 people surveyed agreed to participate and of these, 70.4% were recruited in Brazzaville and, the mean age was 20.9 (min-max: 15-35) years. A low proportion (21.6%) of women reported knowing what HPV is and of these, only 40.7% had adequate knowledge of HPV. 17.2% reported a knowledge of cervical cancer, 12.0% an adequate preventive measures and all of them were adults. The mean age of first sexual intercourse was 16.8 (IQ25-75%: 16-18) years and statistically earlier in the adolescents (p=0.0001). The mean number of sexual partners was 2.6 (IQ25-75%: 1-3). 56.8% of participants use condoms regularly and 10.4% occasionally and, less than one-third used oral contraception. Only 3 participants received HPV vaccine. HPV infection were found in 38.0% of participants, and significantly lower among adults than adolescents (10% vs 45.7%; OR=5.43, 95%CI: 1.97-14.97, p=0.001) and, than young adults (42.9%; OR=1.04, 95%CI: 3.24-33.06, pp = 0.0001), age > 18 years (aOR = 2.54, p = 0.03) and age at first intercourse (17 – 21 years) (aOR = 0.40, p = 0.04) were determinants of HPV knowledge. Study area (aOR = 0.03, p = 0.0001), age > 18 years (aOR = 6.18, p = 0.009), concubinage (aOR = 0.14, p = 0.001) and 3-4 sexual partners (aOR = 5.18, p = 0.004) were determinants of cervical cancer knowledge. Conclusion. These results highlight the important of developing and implementing appropriate outreach strategies to improve patient awareness and knowledge of HPV-related diseases and to promote HPV vaccination uptake targeting adolescents and young adults in the Republic of Congo.
    VL  - 11
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Laboratory of Parasitology, Mycology and Virology, Postgraduate Training Unit for Health Sciences, Postgraduate School for Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Laboratory of Parasitology, Mycology and Virology, Postgraduate Training Unit for Health Sciences, Postgraduate School for Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Nainital, India

  • Clinic of the Foundation Marie Madeleine GOMBES, Pointe-Noire, Congo

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Congo

  • Ministry of Health and Population, Brazzaville, Congo

  • Clinic of the Foundation Marie Madeleine GOMBES, Pointe-Noire, Congo

  • Faculty of Science and Technology, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Congo

  • Laboratory of Parasitology, Mycology and Virology, Postgraduate Training Unit for Health Sciences, Postgraduate School for Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

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