The United States is home to around 43 million immigrants (U.S.). Foreign-born populations face numerous inequalities in human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, including higher cervical cancer death rates, but little study has been conducted to assess the incidence of genital HPV infection in this group. Researchers utilized data from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which included 1,822 women and 1,622 men aged 20–59 in the United States (NHANES). Participants supplied biospecimens for HPV testing and indicated their nativity status. They used weighted logistic regression to examine nativity differences in the prevalence of three HPV infection outcomes. Overall, 40% of women and 46% of men tested positive for any form of HPV. Foreign-born women had a lower frequency of infection with any HPV type than women born in the United States. Foreign-born males showed a lower prevalence of all HPV infection outcomes as compared to men born in the United States. After controlling for variables, multivariable models reduced some of these differences, although foreign-born males had a decreased chance of infection with a high-risk HPV type. Despite being lower than among their American-born peers, HPV infection is common among foreign-born women and men in the United States. The findings may be used to inform strategic communication initiatives, as well as targeted HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening programs for immigrant groups.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2019.1578592
