Exploring The Possibility of HPV Infection in Vulnerable Categories

HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases around the world. Though the infection probability is equal for everyone owing to its infection source being genital skin contact, the chances will be even more for vulnerable categories.

We will discuss the most vulnerable categories and how they are more susceptible to HPV infection and related symptoms.

Vulnerable Categories - An Overview

Vulnerable categories across the globe occur in the types listed below:

  • Social categories - applies to minorities.
  • Economic categories - include impoverished subjects and dependent personnel.
  • Cognitive and communicative categories - cover minor children, decision-impaired personnel, critically-ill subjects and newborn infants.
  • Institutional categories - people subjected to deferential segments are included here, like prisoners, students and employees.
  • Medical categories - terminally ill personnel are part of this section.

Analyzing The Possibility of HPV Infection in Vulnerable Categories

Not every vulnerable category is at risk of contracting HPV infection. For example, you know this topic does not apply to most of the categories mentioned above, like the socially vulnerable categories, as the primary spread of Human Papillomavirus is through contact via genital areas.

The most exposed categories in this regard are sex workers, people who are subjected to abuse, the ones who are aware of their partner’s infection, people who engage in unsafe sexual practices, etc. Problems arise more in conditions like genital warts, as anyone can contract it through genital skin contact.

The verdict here is to opt for safe sexual practices only, irrespective of the factors that label you.

Tips and Measures to Tackle HPV in Vulnerable Groups

The top tips and measures that work in tackling HPV infection in vulnerable groups are as follows:

  • Patient assessments must frequently happen to help overcome the infection spread within vulnerable categories.
  • Personal hygiene and community hygiene must be propagated and practised within vulnerable groups.
  • Safety considerations and precautions should be a factor for all types of sexual activities.
  • Keep children and dependent people safe from potential risk hazards that might lead to an HPV infection.
  • Preventive and therapeutic measures should be employed in the several problems affecting these vulnerable categories.
  • The effective recording, reporting and assessment of documentation or database capture of the categories using a vulnerability rating index will surely help the cause.

In A Nutshell

Identification of the answer to the question of what is vulnerable category and its related aspects is a tricky concept as the norms are continuously changing. The best we can do is to develop and launch collective efforts aimed at keeping vulnerable categories aware of HPV infection, the potential risks, preventive vaccine, test processes and treatment chances.