Influences on human papillomavirus vaccination status among female college students.
OBJECTIVE
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil® (Merck) for girls and women aged 9-26 years. Although the vaccine is ideally administered to 11 and 12 year olds, college-aged women may be uniquely at risk for HPV due to high rates of sexual activity and, thus, serve as an important catch-up population for the HPV vaccine. The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with HPV vaccination status among college women.


METHODS
In fall 2008, a convenience sample of 256 undergraduate women enrolled in an introductory social science course at a large, public, urban university in the southeastern United States was surveyed. The 30-item paper-and-pencil questionnaire asked for demographic information, HPV knowledge, HPV vaccine beliefs, and HPV vaccination status. The overall survey response rate was 89.6%.


RESULTS
Most women were unmarried/single (91.7%), with a mean age of 18.9 years (range 17-42). Race/ethnicity status included 73.0% white, 17.5% Hispanic, and 7.7% black/African American. One hundred eleven (40.5%) women reported receiving the vaccine. Nonvaccinated women were less likely to have heard of the vaccine through a healthcare provider (odds ratio [OR] 0.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-0.35) or from a family member (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16-0.68) and more likely to consider a healthcare provider recommendation as being only somewhat important (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.32-6.41) or not important at all (OR 5.61, 95% CI 0.44-71.87) vs. very important.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that healthcare providers have an important role in encouraging HPV vaccination. Continuing education for providers who see preadolescent girls in conjunction with a parent or who treat women of college age may be a worthwhile endeavor.
Daley
Ellen M
EM
Department of Community and Family Health College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA. edaley@health.usf.edu
Vamos
Cheryl A
CA
Buhi
Eric R
ER
Kolar
Stephanie K
SK
McDermott
Robert J
RJ
Hernandez
Natalie
N
Fuhrmann
Hollie J
HJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines