Sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behavior as risk factors for human papillomavirus infection in Saudi Arabia

•A hospital-based cohort of mostly Saudi women revealed a high prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.•Approximately 17% of the 400 participating women tested positive for HPV.•Smoking and multiple partners are risk factors for HPV infection in Saudi women.•A national screening program is needed to determine HPV prevalence in Saudi Arabia.

SummaryObjectivesTo determine the prevalence and the sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behavior risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in a hospital-based cohort of women in Saudi Arabia.MethodsCervical specimens and questionnaire data were collected from women attending clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Cervical specimens were examined for abnormal cytology using a standard Pap test and for the presence of HPV-DNA using PCR and reverse line blot hybridization tests.ResultsApproximately 73% of the 400 women tested were Saudi nationals. Nearly 50% were under 40 years old (range 22–80 years, mean ± standard deviation 41.20 ± 10.43 years). Approximately 17% of the women were HPV-positive. The most commonly detected HPV types were HPV-18 (34%) and HPV-16 (19%), with multiple infections detected in 10% of positive specimens. Multivariate analyses revealed that smoking and multiple partners were significant risk factors for HPV infection (p < 0.01).ConclusionsBecause of societal challenges and an unsubstantiated assumption of low HPV prevalence, few studies have examined sociodemographic characteristics or sexual behaviors associated with HPV in Saudi women. However, a high prevalence of HPV infection was found, with smoking and multiple partners as significant risk factors, in this hospital-based cohort of predominantly Saudi women.