Measuring and attitudes of university students toward human papilloma virus-related cervical cancer prevention (original) (raw)

2022, CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research - Zenodo

Aim: Our research was carried out to determine the knowledge and attitudes of university students about cervical cancer, human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and vaccine. Materials and Methods: In the 2018-2019 academic year, the research population consisted of 178 female students who studied at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Vocational School of Health Services. Students completed a form that included socio-demographic information as well as questions about HPV infection, vaccination, and Attitude Scale Towards Preventing Cervical Cancer (ASTPCC). For the analysis of the data, percentage, mean, T-test, One-Way ANOVA test and Tukey test were used. Significance level was taken as 0.05. Results: Of the female students included in the study, 171 (96%) people between the ages of 18-25 and 7 (4%) people between the ages of 26-32 were recorded. 94% of participants said that HPV is a risk factor for cervical cancer, 92% said that HPV is transmitted through sexual contact, 87% said that the HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer, 19% said that the HPV vaccine should be applied before the first sexual activity, and 9% said that regular pap smear tests should be performed even if they have received the HPV vaccine. While of the students, 36% had no knowledge about HPV-associated cervical cancer, 30% had no knowledge pap-smear test. Conclusion: Female students at university should be aware of HPV infection, HPV-associated cervical cancer, pap-smear test, and vaccination. Developing healthy lifestyle habits during university education is essential. ARTICLE INFO/MAKALE BİLGİSİ