title: Knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors: examining human papillomavirus-related gender differences among African American college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given recent approval for administration of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to men, it is important to assess the HPV-related perspectives of men and women. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in HPV knowledge, beliefs, and vaccine acceptance among college students attending 3 historically black colleges/universities in the Southeast.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nonprobability sample of 575 students completed a self-report questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Males were significantly less likely to have heard of HPV, scored lower in HPV knowledge, were less likely to perceive HPV health outcomes as severe and that there was a benefit to vaccinate, reported fewer cues for vaccine acceptance, and perceived more barriers to vaccination compared to females (all p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gender disparities demonstrated in this study highlight the need to increase HPV-related communication/education to include men and to extend HPV research to a broader segment of the college population.
authors.affiliation: Health Outcomes and Behaviors Program, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA. Shalanda.Bynum@moffitt.org
authors.forename: Shalanda A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bynum
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Daniela B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Annang
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanner
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010465:Perception; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines