HPV Prevalence in Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australian Women
Author Information
Author(s): Suzanne M Garland, Julia ML Brotherton, John R Condon, Peter B McIntyre, Matthew P Stevens, David W Smith, Sepehr N Tabrizi
Primary Institution: The Royal Women's Hospital
Hypothesis
Is there a difference in HPV genotype prevalence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in Australia prior to a national HPV vaccination program?
Conclusion
The study found no significant difference in the prevalence of HPV16/18 between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women, but identified differences in risk factors and some other HPV genotypes.
Supporting Evidence
- HPV16 was the most common genotype in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous women.
- Indigenous women had higher rates of smoking and lower rates of hormonal contraception use.
- Detection of any HPV genotype was strongly associated with smoking and Pap-test abnormalities.
Takeaway
The study looked at how many women have HPV before a vaccination program, finding that Indigenous and non-Indigenous women have similar rates of some types of HPV, but Indigenous women have higher rates of other types.
Methodology
Women aged 17 to 40 were recruited for routine Pap screening, and HPV DNA was tested using liquid-based cytology and PCR methods.
Potential Biases
Recruitment focused on Indigenous women may introduce bias in the representativeness of the sample.
Limitations
The study did not collect sexual or reproductive history, and the sample may not be geographically representative of all Australian women.
Participant Demographics
Of the 2152 participants, 655 were Indigenous and 1494 were non-Indigenous, with a higher proportion of Indigenous women being younger and more likely to smoke.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.1 to 4.3
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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