Presence of Risk Factors and Co-Factors for Acquiring HPV Infection or Cervical Cancer in Women Living in a Rural Area and an Urban

Abstract

Objective: Identify the presence of some risk factors and co-factors for acquiring HPV (human papilloma virus) or cervical cancer in women from a rural area and an urban area. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in 2008 in the State of San Luis Potosí, México. Sampling of non-probabilistic convenience was applied. 99 women participated (73 from urban area and 26 rural). Two surveys were used to identify risk factors and socio-demographic data. All women underwent HPV testing; the samples were self-collected and processed by the Hybrid Capture II methodÒ. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. Results: The predominant age range was 37 to 42 years. 38.5% is in a rural community and an urban 37.3%. 72.6% began their sexual life at 19 years or more in urban areas and 57.6% before 18 in rural areas. In relation to the number of sexual partners reported having had only one, 73.1% and 67.1% in rural and urban area respectively. Risk factors that were associated with HPV infection were the beginning of sexual activity at age 18 and under (p = 0.041) and the number of sexual partners (p = 0.001). Conclusions: There are more risk factors in women in urban areas but in rural areas it had the highest percentage of positive cases for infection by high-risk HPV.