Abstract
BackgroundThis 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.MethodsA 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.ResultsPrior 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” (χ2=8.76, p=0.013) and “cancer is preventable” (χ2=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.ConclusionsIncreased 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.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12914-015-0042-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
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
After delivery of the HPV education program to all of the subjects, gender differences in awareness and health beliefs, HPV knowledge, and intention to obtain the HPV vaccination were examined, as well as the factors associated with that intention
Regarding factors associated with intention to obtain the HPV vaccination, “concern about pain at vaccine injection” was significant only for the girls
Summary
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. HPV infection appears to be the principal cause of common warts, genital warts, There are few statistical data pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Korea, and monitoring of the prevalence of STDs in the past has relied on reports from a sentinel surveillance system. It is noteworthy that the proportion of sexually active middle-school students increased from 0.5~1.5% in 2007 to 2.3~3.1% in 2010 [7,8] These facts have led to a change in the focus of strategies designed to prevent STDs, including HPVrelated infections (mainly warts), so that they are directed toward young Korean adolescents rather than adults
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