226427 Men's perception of HPV as a health threat for themselves and their sexual partner

Monday, November 8, 2010

Ellen Daley, PhD , Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Erica Hesch Anstey, MA, CLC , Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Eric R. Buhi, MPH, PhD, CHES , Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Stephanie L. Marhefka, PhD , Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Stephanie K. Kolar, MSPH , Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Elizabeth Baker, MPH, CPH , Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Background: Men's HPV infection plays a significant role in the risk of cervical cancer in women, as well as anogenital and head/neck cancers in both sexes. Thus, it is important to understand how males perceive HPV-related health threats. Purpose: To determine men's perception of HPV-related health threats to themselves and their partners. Methods: Men enrolled in a psychosocial study of HPV completed a computerized survey after receiving test results. The number of participants selecting “strongly agree” to HPV-related self-threat and partner-threat questions were calculated and compared. Results: Of 245 participants, 210 (86%) answered the partner-threat questions. Most participants (>89%) responded “strongly agree” or “agree” for all cancer heath threats to themselves or their partners. Participants selecting “strongly agree” for each health threat (to self) included: prostate cancer (70.1%), penile cancer (69.3%), oral cancer (65.3%), anal cancer (64.9%), skin cancer (59.2%), and genital warts (29.4%). Participants selecting “strongly agree” for each health threat (to partner) included: genital warts (28.1%), skin cancer (27.8%), oral cancer (23.8%), cervical cancer (23.3%), and anal cancer (22.9%). The majority who “strongly agreed” for themselves “agreed” for their partners, while those who “agreed” for themselves “strongly agreed” for their partners. Conclusion: Men in this study perceive greater HPV-related health threats for themselves than for their partners overall. While genital warts were least threatening to themselves, they were perceived as being the most threatening to their partner. Understanding men's perceived health threats regarding HPV for themselves and their partner(s) is critical for developing interventions to decrease HPV-associated morbidity.

Learning Areas:
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. To determine the major HPV-related health threats among men being tested for HPV. 2. To examine the different emphases of men’s perceptions of HPV-related health threats for themselves and their partners 3. To discuss men’s role in both primary and secondary preventative HPV behaviors.

Keywords: STD, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Principle Investigator of this study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3274.0: Male Involvement