A cross-sectional study of 2,086 women receiving HPV DNA screening in Thai Health Region 10 found 15.1% positivity, dominated by high-risk non-16/18 types. Women under 30 had higher odds, while more pregnancies were associated with lower odds. Provincial maps may assist service planning, but the screened sample does not establish population prevalence.
Key findings
- HPV was positive in 314/2,086 women, 15.1%. High-risk non-16/18 types accounted for 11.4%, HPV-16 for 2.6% and HPV-18 for 1.1%. Age under 30 was associated with higher odds, AOR 2.67 (95% CI 1.13-6.31), while each additional pregnancy was associated with lower odds, AOR 0.87 (0.78-0.97). Mukdahan had 19.2% positivity and Ubon Ratchathani the largest volume, 1,103 tests.
Why this matters globally
Genotype distributions can inform communication, vaccination, follow-up and referral capacity, especially because high-risk non-16/18 types formed the largest share.
Thai researcher contribution
T. Saenrueang of Ubon Ratchathani University's College of Medicine and Public Health analysed real service data from Health Region 10 and developed the planning map.
Limitations to consider
Cross-sectional associations are not causal. Screened women may differ from non-attenders, records may omit confounders, and provincial volumes are unequal with few spatial units. The map should not be interpreted as statistical clustering or individual risk.