A population-based cross-sectional study of age-specific risk factors for high risk human papillomavirus prevalence in rural Nigeria

2011

Risk Factors for High-Risk HPV in Rural Nigeria

Sample size: 1420 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Clarke Megan A, Gage Julia C, Ajenifuja Kayode O, Wentzensen Nicolas A, Adepiti Akinfolarin C, Wacholder Sholom, Burk Robert D, Schiffman Mark

Primary Institution: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD, USA

Hypothesis

What are the age-specific risk factors for high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) prevalence among women in rural Nigeria?

Conclusion

The study confirmed that early age at sexual debut and early age at first pregnancy are significant risk factors for HR-HPV, particularly among older women.

Supporting Evidence

Early age at sexual debut was a significant risk factor for HR-HPV among women aged 35-45 years.
Early age at first pregnancy remained a significant risk factor for women aged 56+ years.
Greater than 2 sex partners and use of birth control were associated with HR-HPV in women aged 30-45.

Takeaway

This study looked at women in Nigeria to find out what makes them more likely to have a virus that can cause cervical cancer. They found that starting sex early and having babies young can increase the risk.