Introduction:

Infection with Human Papillomavirus is mandatory for cervical cancer development. However, viral elimination is associated to multiple factors, according to the population characteristics and geographic areas, some are modifiable and others not.

Objective:

To determine the factors associated with the prevalence of high risk human papillomavirus infection in women between 35-65 years old with moderate or high risk of cervical cancer located at the northern zone of Bucaramanga.

Methodology:

Cross-sectional analytical study. Women classified as moderate/ high risk for cervical cancer in a short standardized survey, were surveyed on the side effects associated to chronic viral infection and self-sampling cervical test. Bivariate analysis and multiple analysis of log-binomial regression were performed.

Results:

810 women were interviewed; 435 cases of high cancer risk were presented. The prevalence of high risk human papilloma virus infection was 5.1% (95% CI 3.2-7.6). The sedentary lifestyle (RPa 2.51, 95% CI 1.15-5.50) and overweight/obesity (PRa 4.20, 95% CI 1.00-15.51) were associated with higher prevalence. In addition, there was a trend of increased prevalence of infection among users of injectable contraceptives; as well as a tendency to decrease this prevalence according to portions of fruits and vegetables consumed daily.

Conclusion:

modifiable factors such as sedentary lifestyle and overweight / obesity were independently associated with a higher prevalence of infection by human high risk papilloma virus in the population studied.