Only 1 in every 10 men know about HPV transmission
A recent Danish study of almost 23,000 Danish men, demonstrates that only one in every ten men aged 18 to 45 years, have knowledge of HPV - the virus which for men can cause penile and anal cancer and cervical cancer for women.
Results indicates, that men walks around thinking that the HPV virus does not affect them. But men actually do have a big responsibility.
-They do, since HPV is a virus, above all transmitted sexually. It is for that reason really essential that men are aware, that they are carriers in relation to women and cervical cancer and that they can acquire for example, penile cancer, anal cancer and certain forms of cancer of the head and neck region, “says researcher Ann Nielsen from the Danish Cancer Fighting, who is the major author of the study.
The study demonstrates that few men are aware of about HPV, and this is regardless of whether they are 18 or 45 years.
-For women, studies prove that older women have greater knowledge of HPV rather than younger women. Still this does not apply to men, says Ann Nielsen.
Although there has been further knowledge of HPV and vaccines, Ann Nielsen does not believe that it has reached the men yet.
-When we interviewed the men, there were an incipient awareness of HPV. The first vaccine against cervical cancer was - at the time - just entering the Danish market, explains Ann Nielsen.
HPV is mostly sexually transmitted.
Nowadays all girls born in Denmark in 1996 or later are offered a free of charge HPV vaccination as part of the general vaccination program. Moreover, all girls born in 1993, 1994 and 1995 received the offer of free vaccination. So far Danish boys will not be offered free vaccination.
Ann Nielsen points out that there really is a great need for information efforts towards men.
- Not merely in relation to sexual life. We also have to do with a target audience - fathers with children who are offered vaccination. It is very important that their information is good, when they should think about whether their daughter should be vaccinated, says Ann Nielsen.
Need for knowledge
American research have also shown, that an increased focus on HPV means an increased knowledge.
In the U.S., the number of anal cancer and head and neck cancer incidents has grown.
-We estimate that the same applies in Denmark. And we must not lose sight of the genital warts - something that many men and women suffer from. We estimate that around 10 percent of all men, at some time in their lives, become infected with genital warts. Therefore, it is absolutely needed to have knowledge and information out to the audience, says Ann Nielsen.
The study is published in European Journal of Cancer Prevention.