Comparison of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Status, Associated with Health Belief and Knowledge between Male and Female Highschool Students

Factors influencing Human Papillomavirus Vaccination intention in Female High School Students: Application of Planned Behavior Theory

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to identify effects of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control toward Human Papillomavirus (HPV) on HPV vaccination intention in female high school students.

METHODS

Subjects of this study were female students aged 16 to 17 years, the optimal age group of HPV vaccination, arbitrarily selected from three high schools in B city. A total of 140 students agreed to participate in this study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and stepwise multiple regression.

RESULTS

Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control toward HPV were factors influencing HPV vaccination intention of subjects. Perceived behavior control toward HPV vaccination was the most influential factor. These factors accounted for 49% of HPV vaccination intention.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest a need to increase perceived behavior control to increase HPV vaccination intention. The government needs to establish a national policy system such as financial support for HPV vaccines and free vaccinations so that students are aware that HPV vaccines can be easily inoculated.

Mothers' intentions to vaccinate their teenaged children against human papillomavirus, as predicted by sex in South Korea: An application of the theory of planned behavior

AIM

This study was conducted in order to examine the intention of mothers to vaccinate their teenaged children against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, according to the children's sex. Based on the theory of planned behavior, the study identified the sex-specific predictors of mothers' intention to vaccinate their teenaged children against HPV.

METHODS

This was a descriptive survey study that included, as participants, 200 mothers whose teenaged children were not vaccinated against HPV.

RESULTS

The mothers' experience with HPV vaccination was a significant predictor of their childrens' HPV vaccination status. For the mothers of sons, subjective norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control were found to be significant predictors of intention of HPV vaccination, with an explanatory power of 69.5%. For those with daughters, only attitudes and subjective norms were significant predictors, with an explanatory power of 79.6%.

CONCLUSION

The application of the theory of planned behavior is an effective method to determine the predictors of children's HPV vaccination status. In order to improve the HPV vaccination rate of teenaged children, strategies for education and effective promotion that involve mothers should be developed.

The health beliefs of mothers about preventing cervical cancer and their intention to recommend the Pap test to their daughters: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Mothers have a primary role in the prevention of cervical cancer in Korea. This study aimed to determine the awareness and health beliefs of mothers about preventing cervical cancer in their daughters, their intention to recommend the Pap test to their daughters, and the factors influencing this intention.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and the study enrolled mothers (n = 1,581) of pubescent girls aged 13 to 18 years who were living nationwide in Korea. The six health-beliefs variables related to preventing cervical cancer in their daughters, awareness of the importance of cervical cancer prevention methods, and the intention to recommend the Pap test to daughters were investigated. The impacts of these health beliefs of the mothers and the sociodemographic factors influencing their intention to recommend the Pap test to their daughters were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Almost one-quarter (23.7 %) of the mothers had talked about the Pap test, 69.2 % were intending to recommend the Pap test to their daughters, and 38.5 % considered that the Pap test could be necessary if their daughters became sexually active. The significant health beliefs influencing the intention to recommend the Pap test were the perceived barriers [odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) = 1.03-2.11] and benefits (OR = 2.25, 95 % CI = 1.55-3.25). The significant sociodemographic factors of mothers were their education (OR = 1.52, 95 % CI = 1.08-2.13), their experience of talking about the Pap test with their daughters (OR = 2.11, 95 % CI = 1.23-3.64), their regularity of undergoing the Pap test themselves (OR = 1.98, 95 % CI = 1.30-3.03), and their age when they first underwent the Pap test (OR = 1.60, 95 % CI = 1.43-0.82).

CONCLUSIONS

The mothers perceived HPV vaccination as the most important of the five methods for preventing cervical cancer in their daughters. Mothers perceived the importance of their daughters undergoing the Pap test regardless of the presence of HPV vaccination, and most of the mothers had an intention of recommending the Pap test to their daughters. Strategies for increasing the intention of mothers to recommend the Pap test to their adolescent daughters could be promoted by increasing their perceptions of the benefits while reducing their perceptions of barriers toward their daughters undergoing the Pap test, and by empowering active communication about the Pap test between mothers and daughters.

Awareness of human papillomavirus and factors associated with intention to obtain HPV vaccination among Korean youth: quasi experimental study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the awareness among fifth-grade girls and boys of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cancer, and human papillomavirus (HPV), and to determine the factors associated with intention to obtain the HPV vaccination.

METHODS

A quasi experimental design was employed with Korean fifth-grade students as the subjects for this study (n=117). Prior to providing HPV education, the awareness and health beliefs regarding STDs and cancer prevention were assessed according to gender. After 2 hours of HPV education, gender comparisons were made with respect to the awareness and health beliefs, HPV knowledge, and intention to obtain the HPV vaccination, and the factors associated with that intention.

RESULTS

Prior to the 2hours education session, only two boys knew that HPV is a virus. There were significant gender differences with respect to responses to the statements "STD is preventable" (χ(2)=8.76, p=0.013) and "cancer is preventable" (χ(2)=6.37, p=0.041), and concerns about the pain associated with vaccine injection (z=-2.44, p=0.015). After HPV education, there were no significant gender differences in HPV knowledge and intention to obtain the HPV vaccination. Awareness that "HPV vaccine can prevent cervical cancer" was significantly related to intention to obtain the HPV vaccine among both boys and girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased HPV knowledge could positively influence the intention to obtain the HPV vaccination among youth. Thus, HPV education at elementary school would be helpful to make students aware of HPV and the importance of HPV prevention.