Objectives To examine knowledge about HPV vaccination and behaviour towards STD among 14–23-year-old (yo) girls and determine the correlation with HPV vaccination status.

Methods From 11/2008 to 04/2009, 316 girls were recruited by general practitioners in a cross-sectional study and filled a self-administered questionnaire. Twenty-eight were interviewed by a sociologist.

Results Of the 316 girls, HPV vaccination was reported by 135 (42.7%). Parents were involved in the decision of vaccination for 62.4% of the 14–20 yo. Majority of unvaccinated girls preferred to wait (34.2%), did not feel concerned (27.3%) or intended to get the vaccine soon (25.5%). During the interviews, the 10 vaccinated girls declared having the same opinion as their parents and uncertain girls thought they were not yet concerned. Knowledge of HPV and pap-smear, need of pap-smear despite HPV vaccination was higher in vaccinated girls (13.3% vs 5.5%; 60.6% vs 34.9% in 14–16 yo girls and 60% vs 25.6% in 21–23 yo girls respectively). Overall, 87.2% cited condom for STD prevention and 88% of sexually active girls used it, irrespective of HPV vaccine status. Conditions for stopping condom use were more often reported by vaccinated 14–16 yo girls (24.2% vs 11.1%).

Conclusion Knowledge about CC prevention was poor but seemed higher among vaccinated girls. Knowledge and behaviours about STD prevention seemed appropriate, whatever the HPV vaccination status. HPV vaccination should be widely proposed to adolescents and their parents and information on it and on CC prevention should be reinforced.