People seeking health information about human papillomavirus via the internet have a very high level of anxiety.

A website with evidence-based information on human papillomavirus (HPV) has been developed at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. Visitors were asked to fill in a web-based form, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), to obtain information on their profile. During the study period, 232 of 3638 (6.4%) visitors filled in the form. In our study, people looking for HPV information on the internet showed high anxiety levels. Three determinants contributed to the STAI score: a previous HPV-test, young age, and not feeling reassured by the website's content. It is warranted that physicians counsel their patients on HPV-related issues in the context of cervical cancer screening.