A cross-sectional survey of awareness of human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancers among general practitioners in the UK

BMJ Open. 2018 Jul 28;8(7):e023339. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023339.

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the level of awareness of the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) and epidemiological trends in HPV-related OPC among general practitioners (GPs) in the UK.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Participants: 384 GPs from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Setting: The survey was administered at GP training courses and via email to lists of training course attendees.

Primary and secondary outcome measures: Proportion of respondents aware of the link between HPV and OPC; respondents' self-rated knowledge of OPC; proportion of participants aware of the epidemiological trends in HPV-associated OPC.

Results: 384 questionnaires were completed with an overall response rate of 72.9%. 74.0% of participants recognised HPV as a risk factor for OPC, which was lower than knowledge about the role of smoking, chewing tobacco and alcohol consumption (all >90% recognition). Overall, 19.4% rated their knowledge of OPC as very good or good, 62.7% as average and 17.7% as poor or very poor. The majority (71.9%) were aware that rates of HPV-associated OPC have increased over the last two decades. Fewer than half (41.5%) of the participants correctly identified being male as a risk factor of HPV-associated OPC, while 58.8% were aware that patients with HPV-associated OPC tend to be younger than those with non-HPV-associated disease.

Conclusions: The association of HPV infection with OPC is a relatively recent discovery. Although the level of awareness of HPV and OPC among GPs was high, the characteristics of HPV-associated OPC were less well recognised, indicating the need for further education.

Keywords: HPV vaccines; general practice; human papillomavirus; oropharyngeal neoplasms; primary health care.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
  • Clinical Competence*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • General Practitioners*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / epidemiology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tobacco Use / epidemiology
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology