Influence of Gender and Undergraduate Course on the Knowledge about HPV and HPV Vaccine, and Vaccination Rate among Students of a Public University

Abstract Objective To evaluate the knowledge related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the rate of HPV vaccination among undergraduate freshmen and senior students of medicine, pharmacy, speech therapy, nursing and physical education in a Brazilian university. Methods A questionnaire concerning sociodemographic aspects, sexual background, and knowledge about HPV and its vaccine was filled out by 492 students. Three months later, a second questionnaire, concerning the new rate of vaccination, was applied to 233 students. Results Among the 290 women who answered the first questionnaire, 47% of the freshmen and 13% of the seniors stated they were not sexually active, as well as 11% of the 202 freshman and senior male students. Although the knowledge about HPV was higher among women, they reported a lower use of condoms. More than 83% of the women and 66% of the men knew that HPV can cause cervical cancer, but less than 30% of the students knew that HPV can cause vulvar, anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancer. Less than half of the students knew that HPV causes genital, anal and oropharyngeal warts. Comparing the students, the seniors had more knowledge of the fact that HPV is sexually transmitted, and that HPV infection can be asymptomatic. The rate of vaccination was of 26% for women, and of 8% for men, and it increased to 52% and 27% respectively among the 233 students evaluated in the second questionnaire. Conclusion As almost half of freshman women declared being sexually inactive, the investment in public health information programs and easier access to the HPV vaccine seem to be a useful strategy for undergraduate students.

摘要 研究目的：评估巴西某高校医学、药学、言语治疗、护理及体育教育专业本科新生与高年级学生对人乳头瘤病毒（human papillomavirus，HPV）感染相关知识的掌握情况，以及其HPV疫苗接种率。研究方法：共492名学生填写了涵盖社会人口学特征、性行为史以及HPV及其疫苗相关知识的调查问卷。三个月后，针对233名学生开展第二轮调查问卷，以评估其最新疫苗接种情况。研究结果：在参与首轮调查的290名女性学生中，47%的新生与13%的高年级学生自述暂无性行为；在202名男性学生（含新生与高年级学生）中，有11%的学生同样无性行为史。尽管女性对HPV的认知水平更高，但报告的避孕套使用比例更低。超过83%的女性与66%的男性知晓HPV可引发宫颈癌，但仅有不到30%的学生知晓HPV可引发外阴癌、肛门癌、阴茎癌及口咽癌。不足半数的学生知晓HPV可导致生殖器疣、肛门疣及口咽疣。对比不同年级学生可见，高年级学生更清楚HPV可经性接触传播，且感染后可呈无症状状态。女性的HPV疫苗接种率为26%，男性为8%；在第二轮调查纳入的233名学生中，该接种率分别升至52%与27%。研究结论：近半数女性新生自述暂无性行为，因此，推进公共卫生宣传项目并优化HPV疫苗的可及性，或是针对本科生群体的有效干预策略。