title: Knowledge of human papillomavirus and perceived barriers to vaccination in a sample of US female college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to assess knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and perceived barriers to being vaccinated against the virus.
  
  
  METHODS
  three hundred ninety-six undergraduate women enrolled at Penn State University in Fall 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  a random sample of students were invited to participate in a Web-based survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  awareness of HPV and the vaccine was high, but knowledge of HPV-related facts averaged only 65% overall. Knowledge was significantly predicted by frequency of media exposure and physician encouragement to be vaccinated, but not by the number of sex partners nor the frequency of condom/dental dam use. On average, women indicated that 2 of the 10 barriers listed applied to them. Physician encouragement negatively predicted barriers at p = .066. No other predictors approached significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  serious misconceptions remain about specific aspects of the diseases and how they are acquired. Health education efforts are needed to improve knowledge in college populations and counteract perceived barriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Arts & Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA. jdillard@psu.edu
authors.forename: James Price
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dillard
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Spear
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D010465:Perception; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines