Statement of the Problem
Human papilloma virus (HPV) denotes the most widespread sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is so widespread that almost every sexually active person acquires it at some point in the course of their lives (Giuliano et al., 2015). It can be transmitted even in cases that an infected individual has no signs or symptoms. HPV occurs in many diverse kinds with some having the ability to cause health issues such as cancers and genital warts. In the majority of instances, HPV disappears on its own without causing any health issues and only affects one’s healthiness if it fails to ebb out. Nonetheless, there are vaccines with the ability to prevent or curing HPV and its associated health problems. Genital warts occur as tiny or huge lumps or a group of lumps in the genital region. If not treated opportunely, HPV could result in cancers such as cervical, cancer of the vagina, anus, vulva or penis to mention a few.
Significance of the Problem
Approximately 79 million people in the US suffer human papilloma virus infection where approximately 14 million individuals get newly infected every year. All sexually active people have a likelihood of having HPV or suffering the health problems associated with it (Forman et al., 2012). The lifetime outlay for the treatment of HPV is roughly 16 billion dollars; because HPV is the most widely acquired sexually transmitted infection, it is extremely expensive to treat as the level of new infections every year is huge. Evidence-based practice (EBP) projects are required for the development of strategies to educate parents and adolescents regarding HPV and available vaccinations. In the carrying out of a research project that tackles concerns associated with sex and sexually transmitted infections, researchers ought to be ready to obtain a broad scope of views and sentiments. On this note, discourse on sex and sexually transmitted infections could be a critical subject for parents. Emotional prompts could be parents’ failure to decipher the best means of talking to their children regarding sex and withstanding the embarrassment of engaging in discussions concerning sex. Most of the adolescents are exposed to human papilloma virus in their first year of getting sexually active. In this regard, boosting awareness of vaccinations against human papilloma virus ought to be a public health matter that health professionals have to tackle effortlessly. Through such awareness and vaccination programs, the rate of HPV infection amid adolescents and adults will reduce as most of them will embark on effective measures to prevent and address the problem.
Relevance
This study is relevant to my career as a nurse practitioner as it has greatly enlightened me on tackling HPV infection and ensuring low chances on infectivity. Vaccinations against HPV are safe and efficient as they offer protection for both females and males against infection and the development of associated problems such as cancers. Getting screened for cervical cancer regularly for women between the ages of twenty-one and sixty-five could play a crucial role in the prevention of the disease. As a means of preventing HPV infection, all sexually active adolescents and unmarried adults ought to use a condom each time they engage in sex (Crowcroft, Hamid, Deeks, & Frank, 2012). This greatly reduces the chances of infection though HPV can infect the parts not covered by the condom thus minimizing the likelihood of complete protection. For the married couples, monogamous relationships could help in the prevention of HPV infection.
References
Crowcroft, N. S., Hamid, J. S., Deeks, S. L., & Frank, J. (2012). Human papilloma virus vaccination programs reduce health inequity in most scenarios: A simulation study. BMC public health, 12(1), 935.
Forman, D., de Martel, C., Lacey, C. J., Soerjomataram, I., Lortet-Tieulent, J., Bruni, L., & Franceschi, S. (2012). Global burden of human papillomavirus and related diseases. Vaccine, 30(1), 12-23.
Giuliano, A. R., Nyitray, A. G., Kreimer, A. R., Pierce Campbell, C. M., Goodman, M. T., Sudenga, S. L., & Franceschi, S. (2015). Differences in human papillomavirus infection natural history, transmission and human papillomavirus‐related cancer incidence by gender and anatomic site of infection. International Journal of Cancer, 136(12), 2752-2760.