Knowledge levels of adolescent girls about human papilloma virus and its vaccine

The effect of theoretical and student-centered interactive education on intern nursing students' knowledge and consideration regarding human papillomavirus and its vaccine in Turkey: A repeated measures design

Background

Intern nursing students not only belong to the high-risk group for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and its associated complications but also represent the future healthcare workforce. Therefore, they constitute a significant group that should comprehensively understand HPV and its vaccine.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the impact of educational interventions on intern nursing students' knowledge and considerations related to HPV and its vaccine.

Methods

A repeated measures design with pretest/posttest measures was employed. The study involved 88 students at a university in Turkey and was conducted between November 2021 and February 2022. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the HPV Information Scale. All participants received theoretical and student-centered interactive education, and data were analyzed using numerical data, percentage distributions, Bonferroni correction, and one-way repeated measures ANOVA.

Results

The total score of the scale and the scores of all four sub-dimensions obtained in the first and third months after the education were significantly higher than those obtained before the education (p <0.001). Additionally, the proportion of students considering getting an HPV vaccine increased following the education (p <0.001).Conclusions: The education on HPV and its vaccine potentially improved students' knowledge levels and increased consideration for vaccination. Implementing interventions that equip nursing students with sufficient knowledge about HPV and its vaccine can contribute to reducing HPV-related cancer rates. Therefore, it is recommended to implement educational programs focused on the prevention of HPV-related cancers.

Identification of the Knowledge Level of Students Receiving Health Education About the Human Papilloma Virus, Screening Tests, and Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination

This study aims to identify the knowledge level of students receiving health education about the human papilloma virus, screening tests, and human papilloma virus vaccination. The present study was designed as a descriptive study. It was conducted in the Nursing department and First and Emergency Aid programs in a city in the Eastern part of Turkey between November and December 2019. The sample of the study included 312 students who volunteered to participate in the study. The data collection tools used were the Socio-demographic Form and the Human Papilloma Virus Knowledge Scale. The students' Human Papilloma Virus Knowledge Scale total mean score was 5.86 ± 6.40. The HPV knowledge Scale total score, the General HPV Knowledge sub-scale, and the General HPV Vaccination Knowledge subs-scale mean scores were found to be significantly higher in women, in those who were enrolled in 3rd year, and in those who were knowledgeable about sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer. The HPV screening Test Knowledge sub-scale mean score was found to be significantly higher in those who were enrolled in 3rd year and who were knowledgeable about cervical cancer (p < 0.05). The results showed that students' knowledge levels about HPV were not sufficient, and variables such as gender, class level, and knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer were found to affect the knowledge level about HPV, screening tests, and vaccination. It is recommended that similar studies should be conducted in larger groups, and initiations to increase the knowledge levels of students should be planned.

Analysis of community-based studies related with knowledge, awareness, attitude, and behaviors towards HPV and HPV vaccine published in Turkey: A systematic review

Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine is a proven method for preventing HPV-related cancers and genital warts, especially preventing cervical cancer. It is aimed to systematically review and synthesize conclusions in detail from community-based studies published in Turkey between 2009 and 2019, which evaluate the knowledge, awareness, attitude, and behaviors of individuals towards HPV and HPV vaccination. This systematic review is conducted based on the PRISMA reporting method and includes community-based, descriptive cross-sectional and cross-sectional studies published between 2009 and 2019. In this systematic review, 5132 studies from six databases were scanned in total. It was determined that there were 23 studies that met the eligibility criteria for this systematic review. In the reviewed studies, it was determined that the rate of “Hearing of HPV before” was 3.8% at the lowest and 57.0% at the highest, and the rate of “Hearing of HPV vaccine before” was 2.2% at the lowest and 74.7% at the highest. In the reviewed studies, it was reported that although parents’ willingness to have their daughters vaccinated with HPV vaccine varied between 14.4% and 68.0%, their willingness to have their sons vaccinated with HPV vaccine varied between 11.0% and 62.0%. In addition, it was reported that the lowest rate of vaccination with HPV vaccine among participants was 0.3% at the lowest and 6.0% at the highest. Consequently, it is considered that conducting common, systematic, and continuous health education programs aimed at both sexes and including both parents, which will increase the knowledge and awareness on HPV and its vaccine, would provide positive attitudes, and will be effective in protecting against HPV-related cancers.

Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of human papillomavirus vaccine attitudes and receipt among Wisconsin adolescents

Few studies have assessed adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine attitudes and whether they are associated with vaccination uptake. This study characterized HPV vaccine attitudes among male and female adolescents, identified factors associated with attitude changes, and examined associations between attitudes and vaccination receipt. Surveys were administered to adolescents aged 15-16 years who had not completed the HPV vaccine series. A modified version of the Carolina HPV Immunization Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (CHIAS) was employed to assess barriers, harms, ineffectiveness, and uncertainties scores. Surveys were available from 108 participants; 63% were male and 33% had initiated the HPV vaccine series at baseline. CHIAS scores significantly decreased (i.e., became more favorable) between baseline and follow-up for barriers (p = 0.01) and uncertainties (p < 0.01). At least one sociodemographic/clinical factor was associated with changes in each score. Attitude changes were not associated with receipt of HPV vaccine, although adolescents with higher baseline harms scores were significantly less likely to receive an HPV vaccine dose (OR = 0.67). Adolescents' HPV vaccine attitudes slightly improved over a one-year period during which an intervention was implemented. More research is needed to learn how parent and adolescent HPV vaccine attitudes form, and how best to address concerns about vaccine harms.

Awareness and Knowledge Levels of 18-Year-Old and Older Individuals Regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV Vaccine in Hatay, Turkey

The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and awareness levels of 18-year-old and older women and men on HPV infection, HPV vaccine, and the potential risk factors in Hatay, Turkey. In our study, it was found that overall 27.0 and 23.2% of the participants reported having heard of HPV infection and HPV vaccine. The rate of participants who had heard of HPV infection and HPV vaccine was higher in women than in men (p < 0.000). Thirteen percent of the participants was aware of the fact that HPV triggers cervical cancer, 10.2% penile cancer, and 16.7% genital warts, respectively. The overall vaccination rate of the participants was 2.7%. When the total knowledge score of the participants about HPV infection and HPV vaccine was evaluated according to independent variables, it was found that being a woman, urbanization, and having a high level of education had a positive effect on knowledge score, while never having heard of HPV infection and HPV vaccine had a negative effect on knowledge score (p < 0.000). It was determined in the linear regression model that gender, educational status, residential area, and having heard of HPV infection before influenced knowledge levels. It was determined that the relation between these variables and the total knowledge scores of the participants was statistically significant (p < 0.05). It was also determined that women who had higher educational levels, those who were living in urban areas, and those who had heard HPV infection before had higher knowledge levels. The level of knowledge of the participants about HPV infection and HPV vaccine was found to be very low. Having adequate knowledge about HPV infection and increasing the acceptance of HPV vaccination in public will play an important role in decreasing the rate of mortality and morbidity of the different HPV-associated cancers in women and men.

Knowledge level of working and student nurses on cervical cancer and human papilloma virus vaccines

PURPOSE

To determine knowledge levels of working and student nurses about cervical cancer and prophylactic cancer vaccines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was performed on 259 nursing students in the Department of Nursing and 137 nurses working in Health Research and Practice Center, approved to participate in the study between April-June 2012. The study was performed universally without selecting a sample. A questionnaire that was prepared for evaluating participants' knowledge and attitudes about human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine was distributed to the nurses and data obtained from the forms were transferred to SPSS 15.00 program and statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

It was found that 54.8% of the student nurses were between 21-24 years old and 13.1% of working students were between 25-28 years old. When student nurses and working nurses were compared in terms of their knowledge about the causes of cervical cancer, their ideas about prevention from cervical cancer with HPV vaccine, their ideas about possible risks of HPV vaccine and conservation ratios of HPV vaccine, it was observed that there were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05). When student nurses and working nurses were compared in terms of the information-source about HPV, ways of HPV contamination, awareness about people who are susceptible to HPV contamination and age of HPV vaccination, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that all nurses had some knowledge about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine, but this was not sufficient. Therefore; it is recommended to use verbal, written and visual communication tools intensively in order to have topics on cervical cancer, early diagnosis and prevention in bachelor and master programs for nurses, to inform society about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine for public health and to teach precautions for its prevention.

Romanian adolescents' knowledge and attitudes towards human papillomavirus infection and prophylactic vaccination

OBJECTIVES

Since licensure of HPV vaccine in 2006, HPV vaccine coverage among Romanian adolescents remains worryingly low. The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards HPV infection and vaccination among Romanian adolescents and to explore the barriers to HPV vaccination with a view to developing strategies for expanding primary HPV infection prevention.

STUDY DESIGN

This study was conducted in Bucharest between April and June 2015. A total of 524 adolescents aged 16-18 years old were recruited from the first two general highschools in Bucharest (according to the admission grade) and completed a self-administered questionnaire including demographics, HPV related and Papanicolau smear test knowledge. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were used to identify the strength of association. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the effect of demographic characteristics on the level of knowledge and HPV vaccination rate. Associations were considered statistically significant at p<0.05.

RESULTS

Of the adolescents interviewed, a very small proportion had heard of HPV infection, HPV vaccine and Papanicolau smear test, that is, 20.22%, 67.92% and 22.9%, respectively. The overall vaccination rate for this group was 2.3%. The most common reason for not receiving the HPV vaccine was the lack of information (80.6%) followed by parents' concerns regarding safety (11%), fear of pain (5.59%) and not being sexually active (2.7%). However, 97.7% of the respondents declared interest in receiving more information about HPV. According to demographic characteristics, age at first sexual intercourse over 16 years old, monthly household income over one thousand euros and self-perceived good relationship with family members were statistically associated on a multivariate logistic regression analysis with a high HPV knowledge score and rate of vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows a low level of knowledge about HPV infection and prophylactic vaccination among Romanian adolescents which may be one of the most important factors for the alarmingly low HPV vaccination rate. We specifically call for HPV knowledge and awareness programs; the implication of health professionals, Romanian media and family members should be included as a centrepiece in the effort to inform this vulnerable population group.