Factors associated with knowledge of the human papillomavirus among college students

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes a sexually transmitted infection that is highly prevalent worldwide; it is initially asymptomatic but can lead to subsequent neoplasms. It is essential to understand its transmission, clinical manifestations, prevention, and treatment; however, this knowledge may vary due to the interplay of various factors. Objective: To determine the factors associated with the level of knowledge about HPV in a population of college students. Material and methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, analytical, and prospective study involving 410 students who completed a 13-item questionnaire to assess their level of knowledge about HPV, with a score of 10 or more correct answers indicating sufficient knowledge. Statistical analysis utilized percentages, means, the χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, and Student’s t-test, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 410 students, 64.6% were female, 29.5% were in their fourth year of undergraduate studies, 38.8% were in the health sciences, 98.5% had heard of the virus, and 79.2% were knowledgeable about it. Significant differences were identified in the level of knowledge by grade level (p = 0.02) and field of study (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: A considerable proportion of students are aware of the topic, and this awareness increases proportionally with grade level.