Monday, September 9, 2019
Being able to cause cancer of the cervix, the human papillomavirus (HPV) is too little understood and is still the subject of mistaken beliefs. Explanations.
A monogamous relationship does not protect against HPV
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is still too little understood. According to a British study carried out for the charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust with 1,500 women, some misconceptions persist. The most common ? Believing that a stable monogamous relationship protects against cervical cancer.
The investigation reveals that almost half of women (48%) believe they cannot contract human papillomavirus if they have been in a monogamous relationship for a long time. The survey also reveals that these mistaken beliefs particularly affect older women. As a result, 1 in 4 women over 55 say they are unlikely to make an appointment for screening.
Loyalty does not prevent PHV either.
Another mistaken belief is loyalty. The survey also reveals that 7% of women think that if they are carriers of PHV while in a monogamous relationship, it means that their partner is cheating on her. False ! It could be a pre-relationship infection.
For Robert Music, general manager of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, this survey shows how much ” It is essential to better understand PHV, including what it means to have the virus, how it is contracted and how long it stays in the body. The role of health professionals is crucial, but education should start in school when HPV vaccination is offered, which normalizes the virus from an early age “.
As a reminder, HPV is transmitted mainly through sexual contact and most people are infected at the very beginning of their sexual activity. In 2018, 311,000 women died from cervical cancer.
Perrine Deurot-Bien
Read also : 10 taboos on sexuality
