relation: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/35616/
title: Human papillomavirus: knowledge, barriers and facilitators to access anal screening and vaccination among men who have sex with men
creator: Louth, William
description: Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) experience a significantly higher risk of developing anal cancer secondary to HPV infection than men who have sex with women only (MSWO). Multiple social determinants, such as homophobia, internalized homophobia and other types of stigma play an important role in this disparity. Even though a vaccine to protect against HPV infection is available, and effective screening procedures to detect early changes of the anal mucosa secondary to HPV infection are also available, previous research suggests that there is still low uptake of vaccination, low knowledge of the association between HPV and anal cancer, and low engagement in screening procedures among MSM. In addition, there are still no national guidelines for screening recommendations among MSM. The proposed study seeks to understand the knowledge about the relationship between HPV infection and anal cancer, as well as the barriers and facilitators for screening and vaccination against HPV among MSM in Allegheny County.  Methods: The proposed study will use a theory-based electronically-delivered survey to assess the extent of knowledge about HPV among 200 MSM in Allegheny County (AC), as well as their attitudes, perceived barriers and perceived facilitators to engage in screening procedures and vaccination against HPV. In addition, this study will use spatial analysis methods (i.e. Moran’s I, local Moran’s I and spatial regression) to assess whether socioeconomic characteristics of zip code of residency and distance to providers within the county are spatially associated or spatially dependent with knowledge about HPV, and screening and vaccination against HPV.   Public Health Significance: This study will be the first to examine knowledge, screening and vaccination among MSM, as well as the first to include a spatial analysis to understand this issue in the region. The formative data collected from this study will be the basis to develop interventions tailored specifically to MSM to reduce the incidence of anal cancer and associated deaths among this population.
date: 2019-01-30
type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
type: PeerReviewed
format: application/pdf
language: en
identifier: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/35616/1/Louth_William_MPHthesis_12_2018.pdf
identifier:   Louth, William  (2019) Human papillomavirus: knowledge, barriers and facilitators to access anal screening and vaccination among men who have sex with men.  Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.    (Unpublished)