The IMPACT-HPV project, initiated under the Sorbonne University – Global Health Institute Alliance (ASU-GHI), adopts a transdisciplinary approach aimed at improving the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially human papillomaviruses (HPV), among the student community. It combines prevention actions, sociological surveys, and wastewater analysis to better understand virus circulation and prevention behaviors, in order to develop targeted actions.
"Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are among the most common sexually transmitted infections," explains Europe Blanckart, operational coordinator of IMPACT-HPV and research officer at the Student Health Service. Although often asymptomatic and usually clearing spontaneously, certain HPV genotypes can cause precancerous lesions and various cancers. In France, approximately 1,200 HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers are diagnosed annually. Vaccination and cervical cancer screening are the two complementary pillars of prevention.
Born from the collaboration between Sorbonne University's Student Health Service (SSE) and several research teams, IMPACT-HPV addresses the need for information on HPV and a vaccination coverage deemed insufficient by SSE professionals. Research on wastewater analysis by Vincent Maréchal's team and social science studies on risk perception and students' preventive behaviors complement this initiative. The ASU-GHI thus federates the SSE, the Epidemiological Wastewater Observatory (OBEPINE+), the Sorbonne Sociological Analysis Methods Research Group (GEMASS), the Free Information, Screening, and Diagnosis Center (CeGIDD) of Saint-Antoine Hospital (AP-HP), and Sorbonne University's Communication Department.
Since 2025, HPV vaccination has been recommended for young adults, regardless of gender or sexuality. "University study years correspond to a period when young adults gain autonomy in their health decisions," notes Europe Blanckart. The project aims to facilitate access to care and strengthen the adoption of preventive measures. HPV prevention concerns both men and women, as men can also transmit the virus and develop certain HPV-related cancers, such as penile cancer. Oropharyngeal cancers associated with HPV predominantly affect men (about 3 out of 4 cases). The project aligns with the National Sexual Health Strategy 2017-2030 and aims to achieve 80% HPV vaccination coverage by 2030.
The objective is threefold: to better understand HPV circulation among young people, identify factors influencing preventive behaviors, and enhance students' adoption of vaccination and sexual health practices. "IMPACT-HPV's ambition is to develop, test, and evaluate, at the scale of a university campus, an integrated model combining health prevention, social sciences, and environmental monitoring," specifies Europe Blanckart.
The project is organized around three components: informing, raising awareness, and facilitating access to vaccination through mobile stands and a free vaccination day planned for 2027 on the Pierre and Marie Curie campus, in partnership with the CeGIDD team from Saint-Antoine Hospital. The second component, led by GEMASS, focuses on listening to students through discussion groups to understand their knowledge and perceptions of STIs and HPV, in order to adapt prevention campaigns. Finally, the third component, led by OBEPINE+, explores the potential of wastewater analysis to monitor HPV circulation, providing a global and anonymized population-level signal.
