KNOWLEDGE OF THE HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN FIRST-YEAR DENTAL STUDENTS (2021-2024)

Abstract

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a boom issue at the social level and in health policies. Different cultures mark different ways of dealing with epidemic endemics, in which macro and micro decisions are relevant. Objective: To observe whether students entering the first year of their dental career present knowledge about HPV. Material and method: Descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study. The Questionnaire "Degree of knowledge about various aspects of the human papillomavirus in students of the Faculty" validated by Elena Cabello Fernández (2006, Spain) was carried out on first-year students of the Dentistry Career of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Cordoba. Approved by CIEIS of the UCC-RF. Results: Alarmingly, throughout these four years of study, it was observed that the percentage of students with knowledge of HPV transmission never reached 70%. Approximately 30% who were unaware of the transmission of the virus showed agreement with those who lacked information about the vaccine and did not use protection in sexual relations.  The average of unvaccinated students (2021-2024) is 27%, of these, 53% were unaware of the existence of the mandatory vaccine since 2011. The year-on-year average shows that 23% did not use condoms, with 2023 being the highest percentage with 31.9%. 16 years was the average age of the first sexual intercourse that was maintained in the four samples. Conclusions: The knowledge about HPV with which students enter the Faculty is deficient and confusing. There are good health policies from the Ministry of Health, but little or poorly disseminated and implemented.