Improving Human Papillomavirus-Related Knowledge and Attitudes Among Ethnically Diverse Young Adults (original) (raw)

Purpose: To make baseline comparisons and evaluate the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine awareness, knowledge, and attitudes among ethnically diverse participants. Methods: Design: Pre-and post-intervention surveys. Setting: An urban, Hispanic-Serving South Florida university. Subjects: Three hundred eighty-seven diverse college students attending a gender studies course. Intervention: Students received a brief educational message designed to improve HPV-related knowledge and attitudes. Baseline and follow-up survey data were collected. Measures: Outcome measures included baseline and follow-up awareness of HPV, perceived knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccination, measured knowledge score, vaccine attitudes, and doses of HPV vaccine received. Analysis: Chi-square, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare baseline differences and evaluate the efficacy of the intervention. Results: Hispanic participants had more positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination (62% vs. 44%, p = 0.009) and were more willing to become vaccinated (66% vs. 46%, p = 0.02) than non-Hispanic participants at baseline. Hispanic women (48%) were more likely to have initiated HPV vaccination than Hispanic men (27%, p = 0.006). At baseline, only 30% of participants scored ‡4/7 points in knowledge. Participants' HPV knowledge improved by 41% after the intervention, with no difference by ethnicity in the post-intervention score. Conclusion: The intervention was useful in improving HPV-related knowledge and attitudes among diverse college students. Future studies should examine barriers to vaccination among ethnic minorities.

Sign up for access to the world's latest research.

checkGet notified about relevant papers

checkSave papers to use in your research

checkJoin the discussion with peers

checkTrack your impact