J Korean Oncol Nurs.  2011 Feb;11(1):65-73.

Knowledge about Cervical Cancer, Health Beliefs and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rate in Female University Students

• Lee EJ
• Park JS

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was a descriptive study to determine knowledge regarding cervical cancer, health beliefs, and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rate of female university students.
METHODS
The subjects of this study were 777 female university students. The data were collected through interviews using a structured questionnaire from september 1 to October 30, 2010. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square test.
RESULTS
The mean of cervical cancer knowledge was low (13.75 score). Regarding health beliefs about HPV vaccination, the levels of perceived benefit (3.01 score) and seriousness (2.91 score) were relatively high, whereas the levels of perceived barrier (2.09 score) and susceptibility (2.01 score) were relatively low. The rate of HPV vaccination was 5.5%.
CONCLUSION
These results show that concrete educational programs and advertisement are mandated to reduce HPV infection and increase HPV vaccination rate. Also the strategies emphasizing perceived seriousness and benefits of obtaining HPV vaccination are taken into account in developing educational programs in addition to knowledge improvement on HPV and cervical cancer.

Keyword

Uterine cervical neoplasms; Knowledge; Papillomavirus; Vaccination

MeSH Terms

Female
Humans
Surveys and Questionnaires
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
Vaccination

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