Whether older women are susceptible to acquiring new, persistent high-risk (HR) HPV infections from new sex partners is largely unknown. This is a pilot study of predictors of HR HPV infections in two populations of women aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 65 who have used internet dating websites in the past year. 400 women will be recruited and mailed kits for self-collecting vaginal specimens for HPV DNA testing. Women will self-collect two sets of vaginal specimens four months apart, and complete sexual behavior questionnaires at the time of each self-collection. If new HPV infections associated with recent new partners are detected in these women, this pilot data will be used to develop a larger longitudinal study of the acquisition and natural history of HR HPV infections in older women. This information is important for developing guidelines for HPV vaccine implementation and cervical cancer screening guidelines in populations of older women.
