TY - JOUR

T1 - Cervical human papillomavirus prevalence according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in a large Danish screening population

AU - Sand, Freja LÆrke

AU - Thomsen, Louise T.

AU - Oernskov, Dorthe

AU - Munk, Christian

AU - Waldstroem, Marianne

AU - Kjaer, Susanne K.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) 2023.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) prevalence according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in a Danish screening population. Methods: We used data from HPV SCREEN DENMARK, which was an implementation study embedded into the routine cervical cancer screening programme. During 2017–2020, women aged 30–59 years screened in the Region of Southern Denmark were offered HPV testing or cytology. In the HPV group, liquid-based cytology samples were tested for 14 hrHPV types. We obtained registry information on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and used log-binomial regression to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) of hrHPV in three age groups (30–39, 40–49, 50–59 years), adjusting for age and marital status. Results: We included 31,124 HPV unvaccinated women. In all age groups, the age-adjusted hrHPV prevalence was higher in women with basic versus higher education (e.g. age 30–39: 11.9% vs. 9.5%; PRage-adjusted=1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.50); women who were unemployed vs. employed (e.g. age 30–39: 11.6% vs. 10.4%; PRage-adjusted=1.11; 95% CI: 0.95–1.28); and in women with highest vs. lowest income (e.g. age 30–39: 11.6% vs. 9.5%, PRage-adjusted=1.18, 95% CI: 0.98–1.44). In models adjusted for marital status, these associations largely disappeared. Conclusions: We found slightly higher hrHPV prevalences in women with basic education, low income and unemployment. The differences largely disappeared when taking into account marital status as a potential proxy for sexual behaviour. Our findings support a need for targeted information on safe sexual practices and promoting socioeconomic equality in HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening participation.

AB - Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) prevalence according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in a Danish screening population. Methods: We used data from HPV SCREEN DENMARK, which was an implementation study embedded into the routine cervical cancer screening programme. During 2017–2020, women aged 30–59 years screened in the Region of Southern Denmark were offered HPV testing or cytology. In the HPV group, liquid-based cytology samples were tested for 14 hrHPV types. We obtained registry information on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and used log-binomial regression to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) of hrHPV in three age groups (30–39, 40–49, 50–59 years), adjusting for age and marital status. Results: We included 31,124 HPV unvaccinated women. In all age groups, the age-adjusted hrHPV prevalence was higher in women with basic versus higher education (e.g. age 30–39: 11.9% vs. 9.5%; PRage-adjusted=1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.50); women who were unemployed vs. employed (e.g. age 30–39: 11.6% vs. 10.4%; PRage-adjusted=1.11; 95% CI: 0.95–1.28); and in women with highest vs. lowest income (e.g. age 30–39: 11.6% vs. 9.5%, PRage-adjusted=1.18, 95% CI: 0.98–1.44). In models adjusted for marital status, these associations largely disappeared. Conclusions: We found slightly higher hrHPV prevalences in women with basic education, low income and unemployment. The differences largely disappeared when taking into account marital status as a potential proxy for sexual behaviour. Our findings support a need for targeted information on safe sexual practices and promoting socioeconomic equality in HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening participation.

KW - Danish screening population

KW - high-risk HPV prevalence

KW - Human papillomavirus

KW - socioeconomic disparities

KW - socioeconomic inequality

U2 - 10.1177/14034948231168297

DO - 10.1177/14034948231168297

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37078420

AN - SCOPUS:85153487832

JO - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica

JF - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica

SN - 1403-4948

ER -