Awareness of Women with Different HIV Status about Papillomavirus Infection in Some Countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Introduction: Cervical cancer ranks fourth among the most common cancers in women worldwide. HIV-infected women account for 5 % of all cases of cervical cancer. Poor awareness of the role of human papillomavirus in the development of malignant neoplasms has a negative impact on the effectiveness of preventive measures.

Objective: To compare the level of awareness of papillomavirus infection in women stratified by HIV status in some countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Materials and methods: The survey using the control question technique was conducted in 2022–2024 among 600 HIVpositive and 600 HIV-negative women aged 39.6 ± 12.3 years living in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Republic of Tajikistan. The systematized data was processed automatically using an online platform. A comparative analysis of the data obtained with results of the previous study (2016–2018) was carried out. Statistical data processing was carried out using the STATTECH online service.

Results: 49.8 % (95 % CI: 45.9–53.8) of HIV-positive and 33.5 % of HIV-negative (95 % CI: 29.8–37.4) women were unaware of papillomavirus infection and its effects. The statistical significance of the results was confirmed using a control question (p < 0.001). The main sources of information reported were healthcare professionals (44.5 % to 83.5 %), Internet, acquaintances (12 % to 45.5 %), and mass media (0 % to 6 %). The percentage of HIV-positive women unaware of HPV showed a 3.3-fold decrease (from 11.6 % to 3.5 %) compared to the years 2016–2018.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate a lower awareness of papillomavirus infection among HIV-positive than among HIV-negative women, regardless of the region of residence. We noted a positive trend towards greater trust in medical personnel and increased awareness through obtaining information on the Internet. The need to strengthen awareness raising and education using all available resources among the population was confirmed.

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