Survey Reveals Common Misconceptions About Human Papillomavirus
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, March 11, 2025 -- The majority of people are unaware that the human papillomavirus (HPV) is more common among men and is associated with rising rates of cancers that directly impact men, according to the results of a survey released by The Ohio State University.
The online survey, commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, was conducted between Feb. 7 and 9, 2025, and included 1,005 respondents.
Survey results show nearly half of respondents (45 percent) did not know if HPV was linked to cancers beyond cervical, even though it is also tied to cancers that affect the tonsils, base of tongue, throat, neck, esophagus, anus, and genitals. Furthermore, 42 percent of respondents incorrectly believed HPV was more common in women. Four in 10 believed that if you are infected with HPV, you will have symptoms, even though many do not have symptoms until after they develop cancer.
"It can take years or even decades for the genetic changes caused by HPV to take effect and transform into cancer," Matthew Old, M.D., from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, said in a statement. "Once exposed, there are currently no treatments for HPV infections, and many who are unvaccinated unknowingly carry and spread high-risk strains of the virus. That's why vaccination is so important."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted March 2025
Read this next
Pulmonary Embolism More Common in Children Than Previously Thought
THURSDAY, May 22, 2025 -- Pulmonary embolism (PE) is more common in children than previously thought, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2025...
Half of Youth-Serving Clinicians Screen for Substance Use Disorder at Every Well Visit
THURSDAY, May 22, 2025 -- Just over half of youth-serving clinicians report that they routinely screen adolescents for substance use disorders (SUDs) at every well visit...
Many Heart Failure Patients Do Not See a Cardiologist Annually
THURSDAY, May 22, 2025 -- About 40 percent of patients with heart failure diagnosis do not see a cardiologist annually, according to a study published online May 18 in the...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.