Background:
High-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) is highly prevalent in sexually active men and women; HR-HPV has been classified as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and as a necessary, but not sufficient, causal agent for cervical cancer. Women who test positive for HPV often experience serious psychosocial consequences such as fear, shame, fatalism and stigmatisation, as the result of popular perceptions of questionable moral and sexual conduct. To improve this situation, public health sector HPV communication and education strategies need to be improved.
Objective:
To evaluate the HPV communicative education strategies used in a pilot study for cervical cancer screening in Colombia using the HPV DNA test.