Life-style and Genital Human Papillomavirus in a Cross-Sectional Survey in Shanxi Province, China

Background: To determine the age-stratified HPV prevalence rate and the risk factors of life-style associatedwith HPV infection among women in rural China.
Methods: An age-stratified, cross-sectional survey of 941women between 16-59 years old was conducted in rural China. Carcinogenic HPV infection was determined usingDigene’s Hybrid Capture II HPV DNA test and interviews of life-style were conducted. Odds ratios (OR) and 95%confidence interval (CI) from the logistic regression models were used to determine the risk factors associatedwith HPV.
Results: Among 941 women, 745 who had sexual intercourse underwent a cervical examination. Theprevalence rate of 13 carcinogenic HPV infections among women 20-59 years old was 15.97%. the rate of HPVprevalence in the 25-34 age group was statistically lower than that in 20-24 and 35-59 age groups (X2=13.3,P=0.0013). The OR of bathing every 7-19 days, 20-180 days, less than once every 180 days vs. bathing at least oncea week were 1.19, 1.83 and 2.29 respectively and they had a dose-response relationship (Trend Test: P=0.003).The OR of women aged 25-34 age group vs. 20-24 age group was 0.40 (0.16 - 0.97) and the OR of bathing onceevery 180 days or less vs. at least once weekly was 2.22 (1.14 - 4.33) adjusted for the other confounding factors,.
Conclusions: The HPV prevalence rate was lowest among child bearing women aged 25-34 year. Also, personalhygiene is significantly associated with the HPV infection in this area, regardless of age.