by Curlan Campbell
- Deadline to complete survey is March 2023
- Men and women can contract HPV through sexual contact
- PAHO data shows Grenada among highest rates of cervical cancer in region
While understanding the public’s perceptions of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer Screening is of utmost importance in curbing its spread in women, the role that men play in its transmission is seldom addressed since men are often not included in HPV sensitisation.
“This is a virus that both men and women can contract because it is transmitted through sexual contact. However, people mostly focus on women catching the virus, but when you look at it, most people have some type of HPV. Not all the HPV turns into cancer, but only certain types turn into cancer,” said Dr Kamilah Thomas-Purcell, Associate Professor at Nova Southeastern University.
According to the Pan American Health Organisation’s (PAHO) recent data, Grenada, Guyana and Suriname have the highest incidence rates of cervical cancer in the region, approximately 7 times higher than in Canada and the USA. Other research to back up the PAHO finding into cancer rates in Grenada also indicates that between 1990-2000 the estimated incidence of cervical and uterine cancer was at 60.7 per 100,000—higher than regional estimates.
Because of this, Dr Thomas-Purcell and other researchers looked at the data and are currently undergoing a nationwide online survey in Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago to understand the public’s perceptions and understanding of the virus. The data collected will help develop targeted education and prevention programmes which must also include a sensitisation drive that increases male health literacy on HPV.
Dr Thomas-Purcell, who teaches Bachelor, Master and Doctoral level courses in Health Policy, Current Issues in Health Care, and Research Practicum, is currently spearheading the nationwide online survey together with a Research Team comprising Sherry-Ann Joseph, Research Assistant; Dr Christine Richards of St George’s University (SGU) and Marva Primus-Joseph as an advisor.
A Community Advisory Committee was established comprising local community members, as part of this project.
Dr Thomas-Purcell is best known for her research with the United Nations Population Fund, The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), Moffitt Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Research Institute, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Health National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the National Institute of Health National Cancer Institute Centre for Global Health and the Caribbean Public Health Association.
The ongoing survey, which started in late October 2022, is targeting 500 participants in Grenada. To date, over 300 participants have completed the survey online.
Dr Thomas-Purcell believes that ongoing education programmes geared toward men, and interventions to encourage spousal communication about reproductive health and shared decision-making may improve awareness of cervical cancer prevention and vaccination. However, there are some societal barriers that must be addressed — particularly the internal and external stigma associated with the virus.
She explained that because of the associated stigma, people tend to blame women for the disease and then isolate them, which ultimately presents barriers to women getting screened. “We are trying to find out more about this stigma and so this current research project we are trying to find out more about this stigma. Where does it originate, and why do people have these beliefs. Ultimately, we are trying to find ways to combat this stigma and replace it with education so that people can become more knowledgeable about HPV and the vaccines and just understand that this virus is preventable.”
Another barrier to Cervical Cancer prevention is vaccine hesitation, particularly the vaccination of children.
“People are hesitant about the vaccine because they don’t understand it,” Dr Thomas-Purcell said. “People would say that ‘I have a son he doesn’t have to worry about HPV’, but men get the HPV virus too and it can cause head and neck cancer, and throat cancer in men as well. So it is good for both men and women to be protected to stop the spread. People also don’t know what the HPV vaccines are for, they think it is just for women and it is for older people. They will say that my child is not having sex right now so they don’t need the HPV virus, but the point of it is to get vaccinated before they start having sexual intercourse.”
Anyone between the ages of 18-85 can complete the survey. The deadline to complete the survey will be extended until March 2023 to get as many responses as possible.