Risk factors for human papillomavirus infection and disease: a targeted
literature summary
Abstract
Adolescents are the primary cohort for routine human papillomavirus
(HPV) vaccination, but unvaccinated adults may also benefit. A lack of
consensus on which adults to target and the presence of reimbursement
barriers likely contribute to the lag in adult vaccinations,
highlighting missed prevention opportunities. Understanding factors
contributing to risk of HPV infection and disease could help in decision
making on vaccination at an individual level. This review summarizes
existing literature on risk factors for HPV infection and disease and
includes 153 studies reporting relative risks or odds ratios for factors
associated with HPV infection or disease in adults, published between
2009 and 2020. Despite inconsistent design and reporting of risk factors
across studies, this review confirmed several risk factors associated
with adult infection, including HIV positivity, number of sex partners,
and smoking. These findings can support policymaking, guideline
development, and clinical decision making for HPV vaccination and
screening of high-risk adult groups.