Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month - the perfect time to raise awareness about the HPV vaccination that can help prevent certain types of cancer. Cervical cancer develops in the cervix (the entrance to the uterus from the vagina). Ninety-nine per cent of cervical cancer cases are linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person. Although most infected patients may not experience symptoms due to the infection resolving spontaneously, some persistent infections can cause cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is the sixth most common cancer in women in the Eastern Mediterranean region. In the UAE, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, with 50% of reported cases in women aged between 35 and 55. However, in higher-income, developed countries, cervical cancer cases have steadily declined by 4% annually. A staggering nine out of ten deaths occur in developing countries, with the risk of death three times higher compared to more developed regions. The disparity in these statistics is stark. The lower incidence and better outcomes in the developed world can be attributed to better screening programs and higher adoption of vaccination schedules. The Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) aims to reduce the incidence of and mortality rate related to cervical cancer by 60% by 2025.
The HPV-Cervical Cancer Connection
This disease can be prevented by vaccinating girls between 11 and 26 against HPV. There are three available HPV vaccinations - Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline), Gardasil (Merck), and Gardasil 9 (Merck). All three vaccinations protect against high-risk HPV 16 and 18 genotypes. The World Health Organization announced that 200 million doses of these vaccines had been given since 2006, and the outcome shows the vaccine's safety record, with no adverse effects.
Despite the safety and availability of vaccination, the rate of cervical cancer is increasing rapidly. The major problems facing the vaccination drive among young women are cultural taboos and a lack of vaccine acceptance. To better understand the issue, we undertook a study at a UAE university to examine the vaccination uptake among expatriate women and the reasons for avoiding the vaccine.
Do Women in the UAE Know How HPV Causes Cancer?
A questionnaire of two sections was distributed to women aged 18 to 26. The first section collected socio-demographic, family history, and health and nutrition data. The second section contained 13 closed-ended questions designed to assess respondents' understanding and thoughts on cervical cancer, HPV, and vaccination. Respondents who correctly identified that cervical cancer and HPV were linked were grouped as respondents with knowledge. The responses and attitudes of these high-knowledge respondents were then compared with the other respondents, and associations were evaluated.
Of the 269 respondents, only 6% had attended awareness programs, and 11% reported having read any information leaflet. 78% of respondents did not know how HPV infection occurs, and less than 40% believed cervical cancer is preventable. 75% of respondents had not heard about the Papanicolaou test. 20% of respondents stated that they were uninterested in vaccinating, and only 5% had received the vaccination. The majority of respondents (78%) demonstrated a positive attitude towards practices related to the influence of nutrition on having a disease-free life.
Compared to the awareness of HPV-associated cervical cancer globally, the UAE population has shown an increase in the understanding and prevention of diseases within the most affected age groups. However, there is an urgent need to continually educate them regarding HPV infection, its modalities, vaccinations, and screening programs to help them make informed decisions.
For more information, please check the article below:
https://doi.org/10.32604/Oncologie.2021.016002
Abdulmajeed Almutary, PhD.
College of Health Sciences
Abu Dhabi University