"HITCH" stands for HPV (human papillomavirus) Infection and Transmission among Couples through Heterosexual activity. Although still underway, this study has already been recognized internationally for its unique design targeting new couples. HPV is known to cause cervical, penile, anal, and mouth and troat cancers in women and men, but there are many unanswered questions about how easily HPV is transmitted. Results from HITCH will now benefit prevention efforts in Canada and around the world.
ENROLMENT COMPLETE! The HITCH cohort study has successfully recruited its quota of 500 couples. After over five years of dedicated and appreciated collaboration of all the people who took the time to enroll and contribute to the study, we have now reached critical capacity to gain useful knowledge about HPV transmission risks. Although recruitment has been completed, HITCH datasets are still being used for analysis by our students.
To learn about other ongoing studies in our department, click here.