Adolescents' knowledge of HPV and sexually transmitted infections at public high schools in São Paulo: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Purpose To assess the knowledge of students from public high schools in poor communities about HPV and Sexually Transmitted Infections and their attitude towards and prevention of such diseases. Patients and methods Cross-sectional study with adolescents from public schools of São Paulo - Brazil. Participants were selected for an interview by a randomization program. A questionnaire about knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding STIs, including HPV, according to sex was administered and answers were analyzed by the Poisson regression model with robust variance. Results Median age of the 269 participants was 16 years. The majority was of African descent (68.8%, n = 185), most (74%, n = 199) were religious and the vast majority (90.7%, n = 244) lived with their parents. The Poisson regression revealed statistically significant sex-related differences regarding the following questions: "Do you know how it is prevented?" (PR = 1.12 [1.03‒1.23], p = 0.007); "Have you ever been concerned with HPV?" (PR = 1.10 [1.02‒1.19], p = 0.011); "Have you ever sought health care due to concerns about HPV?" (PR = 1.09 [1.04‒1.14], p < 0.001); "Do you know what a Pap Smear is?" (PR = 1.24 [1.13‒1.36], p < 0.001); "Do you know what the cervix is?" (PR = 1.23 [1.13‒1.34], p < 0.001); "Do you know what cervical cancer is?" (PR = 1.13 [1.04‒1.22], p = 0.004). Conclusions The present results show that adolescents from public schools in poor communities in São Paulo City know little about HPV and cervical cancer. Male adolescents know less than female adolescents and are less concerned with health care.

Síndrome do comer noturno e estados emocionais em estudantes universitários / Night eating syndrome and emotional states in university students

INTRODUCTION: University students are exposed to many factors related to Night Eating Syndrome (NES), an eating disorder that may be associated with obesity. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of NES among students from a Brazilian university and evaluate the association of the syndrome behaviours with emotional. biological and environmental factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 200 students from a private higher education institution located in the city of Juazeiro do Norte. Ceará. Brazil. NES was evaluated using the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ). considering the NEQ score ≥ 25 as the cut-off value for indication of the syndrome. Depression. anxiety. and stress symptoms were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) questionnaire. Additional information was collected about the participants (gender. age. weight and height). the academic status (enrolled course. study period and year) and the employment status (whether the participant worked at least 4h daily in addition to studying. RESULTS: 30 participants (15%) presented NEQ score ≥ 25. indicative of NES. There was no association between the NEQ score and the variables: gender, nutritional status, work, enrolled course. study period and academic year. There was an association between NEQ score and severity of depression (p=0.0001). anxiety (p=0.0001) and stress (p=0.0218). CONCLUSION: Evidence of a high prevalence of NES was found among Brazilian university students and an association between the behaviours of the syndrome with depressive. anxiety and stress symptoms was found.

INTRODUÇÃO: Estudantes universitários estão expostos a muitos fatores relacionados à Síndrome do Comer Noturno (SCN), um transtorno alimentar que pode estar associado à obesidade. OBJETIVO: Determinar a prevalência da SCN entre estudantes de uma universidade brasileira e avaliar a associação de comportamentos da síndrome a fatores emocionais, biológicos e ambientais. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal realizado com 200 estudantes de instituição de ensino superior privada localizada na cidade de Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brasil. A SCN foi avaliada por meio do Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), considerando-se o escore NEQ ≥ 25 como valor de corte para indicação da síndrome. Sintomas depressivos, de ansiedade e de estresse foram avaliados por meio do questionário Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Informações adicionais foram coletadas sobre os participais (sexo, idade, peso, altura); seu status acadêmico (tipo de curso, período, série); e seu status empregatício (se o participante trabalha ao menos 4h diárias além de estudar. RESULTADOS: 30 participantes (15%) apresentaram o escore NEQ ≥ 25, indicativo da SCN. Não houve associação entre o escore NEQ e as variáveis: sexo, estado nutricional, trabalho, curso matriculado, período de estudo e série cursada. Foi observada associação entre o escore NEQ e a severidade de depressão (p=0,0001), de ansiedade (p=0,0001) e de estresse (p=0,0218). CONCLUSÃO: Foram encontradas evidências de alta prevalência da SCN entre estudantes universitários brasileiros e verificou-se associação dos comportamentos da síndrome com sintomas depressivos, de ansiedade e de estresse.