2 : Webliography on HPV
Human Papilloma Virus and Vaccination
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a very common infection. There are over one hundred types. Many of these types cause warts that people may get on their hands or feet. There are about forty different types of genital HPV. Some types can cause cervical cancer, some types can cause genital warts, and other types can clear up on their own without ever being detected. The genital types of HPV are so common that “about half of all men and more than 3 out of 4 women have HPV at some point in their lives” (plannedparenthood.org).
The types of HPV that can cause cancer are known as the “high risk” types of HPV. Other genital types of HPV are known as “low risk” types. The most common cancer caused by HPV is cervical cancer. It can also cause cancer of the vagina, vulva, anus, penis, and throat. It is spread by skin-to-skin contact as well as sexual contact. Many types of HPV clear up without the person ever knowing they have had it. HPV is mainly found in young women and is less common in women over the age of thirty (American Cancer Society).
There are currently two vaccines that can be given to females aged 9-26, Gardasil and Cervarix. Gardasil can also be given to males aged 9-26 (cdc.gov/hpv/vaccine). The vaccines are highly effective against the two strains of HPV that cause over 70% of cervical cancers. They also protect against low risk types of HPV that cause 90% of genital warts cases (Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses).
Many people, including health care professionals, are unaware of many facts about HPV and the vaccines. The following websites are reliable and valid resources to answer your questions about HPV. It is important for anyone involved in health care, who has children, or who is sexually active to be aware of the prevalence and causation of this disease process. In order to make informed decisions about your own health care, you must be informed of the risks and benefits of these vaccines. Every person must be their own advocate when it comes to their health.
Planned Parenthood
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hpv-4272.htm
This website offers information about many health topics, including sexual health, pregnancy, relationships, sexuality, and birth control. Planned Parenthood advocates for “real” sex education in schools, and performs over 3.3 tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections annually. They advocate that everyone should have access to proper health care. This site is easily laid out and can be navigated by many age groups.
Centers for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/WhatIsHPV.html
This website is sponsored by the American government. This website has information on hundreds of topics, ranging from H1N1 to marriage data. It is written for any person seeking information. There are statistics about different diseases as well. Their slogan is “Your Online Source for Credible Health Information”.
National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/cervical/
This website is also sponsored by the American government. There are hundreds of different cancer types listed here. The site discusses treatments, clinical trials, prevention, screening and testing, research, and statistics of cervical cancer. This site offers a toll free hotline for cancer information and support. It offers Western medicine treatment information as well as holistic approaches to healing.
American Social Health Association
http://www.ashastd.org/hpv/hpv_overview.cfm
The ASHA is a non-profit organization that has been around since 1914. The site offers information about all different types of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). There is information for the general public as well as health care providers. The ASHA website contains information about testing, support groups, a hotline to call with needs, and emotional issues involved with STI’s.
Mayo Clinic
http://mayoclinic.com/health/hpv-infection/DS00906
The Mayo Clinic website offers information about so many health issues. Each issue contains one or more tabs on its home page, depending on the amount of information available. These easy to use tabs include Basics, In Depth, Multimedia, Expert Answers, Expert Blog, and Resources. It is simple to use for any demographic.
American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CRI_2_1x.asp?dt=8
The main page for cervical cancer on the website contains many helpful topics. These topics are explained in a way that is easy to understand. Some pages within the site use pictures to show where different cancers start in the body. This site is one of the easiest to understand for the general public. It discusses things beyond just the facts, like moving on after a person has had cancer, or what if the cancer is found during a pregnancy.
The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
HPV Vaccine for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer Feb-Mar 2010 www.cinahl.com/cji-bin/refsvc?jid=3353&accno=2010551156
This article was found using CINAHL Plus with Full Text. It was co-published by JOGNN at the same time. It focuses on educating health care providers about the importance of screening for and detecting HPV early on. The article also discusses how many people are infected with HPV, as well as how many lives are taken by cervical cancer each year.
College Student Journal
Getting Vaccinated Against HPV: Attitudes, Intentions and Perceived Barriers of Female Undergraduates March 2010
This article was found using MasterFILE Premier and discusses a study that was done among college undergraduates. It shows that there are many barriers to receiving the vaccine, including cost, fear of needles, not being sexually active, having to go to the doctor to get it, and not being informed enough about the vaccine. It discusses the many health benefits of people getting vaccinated. This article is very informative but also geared toward the health care provider.
Thanks for sharing your work Michelle! I’m a nursing student in Canada, and I was posting my work online for a while. Just curious, do you like doing this?
I started posting some of my own work, because I was tired of handing in a paper that only 1 other person would read. If the work I’m doing is worth sharing I felt it was worth doing.
Hope you keep this up,
Rob
Rob,
Sorry that I am just now getting back to your comment on my blog. It’s been so long ago, you may not even remeber reading the article! I do like doing this, for the same reason that you shared. I have gotten out of it for the past several months, but my goal for 2011 is to post some old or new research once a month to my blog. Here’s hoping! Thanks for the encouragement.
M
I do like sharing, but I feel like some people ask me about things and I’m not an expert- I have just done research in the name of education and a bit of curiousity on my end. I would always encourage people to do their own research. The library and sometimes local hospitals offer medical journals. Even Google has reviewed articles that people can read. There is a lot of information out there and I feel like sometimes people can become overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of it. Many probably get sick of trying to distinguish between what is reliable and unreliable information.
So, to answer your question, I do like doing this, but although the information I post is reliable and I include a references list, I would rather people do their own research than ask me questions. I am still very new to blogging, but I am trying to get into it more! Thanks for the interest. Have you graduated yet?