Cervical cancer and sexual lifestyle: a systematic review of health education interventions targeted at women

A systematic review was conducted to determine the effectiveness of health education interventions to promote sexual risk reduction behaviours amongst women in order to reduce transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV), a lea ding agent in the development of cervical cancer, A comprehensive search wa s conducted to identify relevant studies, Studies were included in the revi ew if they evaluated educational interventions targeting women only and mea sured the impact on either a behavioural outcome such as condom use for sex ual intercourse, partner reduction or abstinence, or a clinical outcome suc h as incidence of a STD. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria for the review; all had the primary aim of preventing HIV and other STDs rather tha n cervical cancer. Ten of the 30 studies were considered to provide the str ongest evidence for a causal relationship between the intervention and the change in outcomes measured. Each of these 10 most rigorous studies showed a statistically significant positive effect on sexual risk reduction, typic ally with increased use of condoms for vaginal intercourse, This positive e ffect was generally sustained up to 3 months after intervention. It was con cluded that educational interventions targeting socially and economically d isadvantaged women in which information provision is complemented by sexual negotiation skill development can encourage at least short-term sexual ris k reduction behaviour, This effect has the potential to reduce the transmis sion of HPV and thus possibly reduce the incidence of cervical carcinoma.