Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV vaccine in Bangladeshi women: a population 
based, cross -sectional study  
 
Version: 0 Date: 22 Feb 2017  
 
Reviewer: Deanna Kepka  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is an important and timely manuscript. It highlights the need for increased cervical cancer 
education and prevention in Bangladesh where cervical cancer is the 2n d most common cancer 
among women. I have highlighted my primary concerns below. Overall, I think the manuscript is 
well-written but I did notice a few typos and grammatically incorrect sentences. Please review 
grammar again.  
 
Abstract:  
- What statistical tests were used in this study? Please include in Methods.  
- Please also report related p -values in results.  
 
Introduction:  
- Is the HPV vaccine available at all in Bangladesh?  
- Has it been available in nearby countries or in the region?  
- How will GAVI possibly assist Bangladesh in the future? How likely is this?  
- Is there a national cervical cancer screening program in Bangladesh?  
- What other studies have been done in Bangladesh on cervical cancer prevention and HPV 
vaccination?  
 
 
Methods : 
- Was IRB approval received?  
- Why were only married females included?  
- Did participants receive an incentive to complete the interview?  
- How were open ended responses recorded and analyzed?  
- Why not include multi -variable analyses? This sample is large en ough to carry out more 
sophisticated models.  
- Were there any hypotheses laid out prior to study implementation?  
 
Results:  
- This section could be better organized to highlight the most important findings.  
- Please refer to tables when providing lists of des criptive and bi -variate results and 
eliminate this text, only summarize main findings.  
- How were the response rates calculated?  
 
Discussion:  
- What does this study add that is not already known about cervical cancer education in 
Bangladesh?  
- Highlight the  most important findings from this survey and what they add to the current 
literature.  
- Please discuss in greater detail how this study can help improve the opportunity for 
women in Bangladesh to receive the HPV vaccine?  
- Many questions described in the Methods are open ended where in the discussion, it is 
reported in the limitations that this was a closed ended survey. Please explain and clarify.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the m anuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially f rom the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the abov e, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be incl uded  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Ope n Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published . 
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal