College students disproportionately experience victimization, stalking, and relationship violence when compared with other groups. Few studies explore victimization by the gender identity of college students, including those who identify as transgender. The purpose of this study is to explore the rates of violence experienced by transgender students compared with male and female college students. This study utilized the National College Health Assessment-II (NCHA-II) and included data from students ( n = 82,538) across fall 2011, 2012, and 2013. Bivariate statistics and binary logistic regression were conducted to test the relationships between gender identity and victimization. Transgender students ( n = 204) were compared with male ( n = 27,322) and female ( n = 55,012) students. After adjusting for individual factors, transgender students had higher odds of experiencing all nine types of violence when compared with males and higher odds of experiencing eight types of violence than females. Transgender students experienced the highest odds in crimes involving sexual victimization, including attempted sexual penetration (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 9.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [6.17, 14.59], d = 1.00), sexual penetration without consent (aOR: 9.06, 95% CI = [5.64, 14.53], d = 0.94), and being in a sexually abusive relationship (aOR: 6.48, 95% CI = [4.01, 10.49], d = 0.48), than did male students. Findings reveal increased odds of victimization among transgender students when compared with male and female students. Results demonstrate the need for more comprehensive violence prevention efforts in college settings.

Addressing dentists' HPV-related health literacy has the potential to improve dentists' HPV-related prevention practices, including expanding patient education about this topic and increasing HPV vaccination knowledge, ultimately contributing to the reduction of oropharyngeal cancers.

The rise in HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer incidence necessitates novel prevention efforts including multiple provider types. Although dental providers screen for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers, little is known about their needs to advance “primordial prevention,” or interventions at the earliest possible stage, to prevent HPV-related cancers. This study assessed dentists' and dental hygienists’ perceived roles and needs regarding HPV-related primordial prevention.We conducted a mixed-method study with data from focus groups with dentists (n= 33) and dental hygienists (n= 48) and surveys from both provider types (n= 203) among providers from a diverse set of practice settings and geographic communities. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis and chi square tests.Participants affirmed dental professionals’ roles in preventing HPV-related cancers and identified needs to overcome barriers to fulfilling prevention objectives. Barriers included: (1) practice environment and patient characteristics, and (2) the sensitive topic of HPV. Further, participants identified needs to improve HPV-related cancer prevention.Findings from this study suggest that dental providers may become the next line of prevention for HPV-related cancers. Dental providers’ professional associations have provided guidance on HPV and oropharyngeal cancers, but our study reveals dental providers’ needs for following professional organizations’ guidance to advance prevention efforts and reduce HPV-related cancer incidence.

Dental providers, such as dentists and dental hygienists, play an important role in HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer prevention. Dental professional organizations recommend dental providers educate patients about HPV and oral cancers. The objective of this study was to assess HPV knowledge among dental providers. Dentists (n = 36) and dental hygienists (n = 146) attending a professional conference completed a continuing education post-test survey, which included socio-demographics, an HPV knowledge scale, and measure of HPV discussion with patients ("no," "yes," and "yes, but only with some patients"). Chi-square tests, t tests, and ANOVA tests were used for this analysis. Although dental hygienists (35.4%) reported less discussion with patients about HPV than dentists (52.8%), these differences were not significant. The mean knowledge score was 24.7 (SD = 3.8) with no significant differences by profession. Among dentists, knowledge did not significantly differ by discussion category (p = 0.28). In contrast, dental hygienists who did not discuss HPV with patients had significantly lower mean knowledge scores (mean = 23.4) than those who discussed with patients (mean = 26.5, p < 0.01) or discussed only with some patients (mean = 26.0, p = 0.01). Knowledge deficits included outcomes associated with HPV, HPV in men, and curability. Specifically, participants incorrectly answered that HPV can affect a women's ability to get pregnant (81.9%), that one can never get rid of HPV once they have it (69.2%), and that HPV can cause herpes (43.4%). This study identified HPV knowledge deficits among dental providers. Given the recommendation for dental providers to discuss HPV prevention with their patients, additional education and training on this emerging topic may benefit these professionals.

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