The psychosocial burden of human papillomavirus related disease and screening interventions

• Published in: Sexually transmitted infections Vol. 85; no. 7; pp. 508 - 513
• Main Authors: Pirotta, M, Ung, L, Stein, A, Conway, E L, Mast, T C, Fairley, C K, Garland, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group 01.12.2009; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Cervical cancer; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia - prevention & control; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia - psychology; Cost of Illness; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Female; General aspects; Gynecology; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Immunization; Infectious diseases; Mass Screening - psychology; Medical records; Medical sciences; Medical screening; Middle Aged; Oncology; Pap smear; Papanicolaou Test; Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control; Papillomavirus Infections - psychology; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; Sexual health; Substance abuse treatment; Surveys and Questionnaires; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - prevention & control; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - psychology; Vaginal Smears; Womens health; Young Adult; United States > US; Papillomavirus; Virus; Infection; Human papillomavirus; Sexually transmitted disease; Papovaviridae; Medical screening
• ISSN: 1368-4973; 1472-3263
• DOI: 10.1136/sti.2009.037028

Objectives:(i) To assess the psychosocial burden of testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) related genital disease or of a HPV-related diagnosis; (ii) to compare an instrument specifically designed to measure HPV-related psychosocial burden with other generic quality of life (QoL) instruments.Methods:A cross-sectional design. Researchers recruited women from outpatient clinics at a major tertiary women’s hospital and a sexual health centre who completed surveys within 3 months of receiving results: 331 women, 18–45 years, who had experienced a normal cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) result, an abnormal Pap result, biopsy confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or external genital warts (EGW). Main outcome measures: the HPV impact profile (HIP) designed to assess the psychosocial impact of HPV; two general health-related QoL surveys—the EuroQoL VAS and the Sheehan disability scale; and a HPV knowledge survey.Results:Response rate was 78%. Significant psychosocial impacts were found for women screened for, or having a diagnosis of, HPV-related genital disease. The largest impact was in women with CIN 2/3 and EGW. This HPV-related psychosocial impact was most sensitively detected with the HIP. Relative to generic measures of QoL, the HIP provided insight into the full range of psychosocial impacts of HPV testing and diagnoses.Conclusions:Clinicians need to be aware of the potential psychosocial impact of testing for or diagnosing HPV-related genital disease, in particular CIN 2/3 and EGW. The HIP survey is a more sensitive measure of the psychosocial impact of HPV-related genital disease than generic QoL surveys.