title: Knowledge and beliefs about cervical cancer and human papillomavirus among Taiwanese undergraduate women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess knowledge and attitudes regarding cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) among undergraduate women in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five universities in southern Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  953 undergraduate women aged 17-36 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The self-administered HPV Belief questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge and beliefs regarding cervical cancer, Pap testing, and HPV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Knowledge, beliefs, cervical cancer, Pap testing, HPV, likelihood of cervical cancer, and HPV infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy percent of participants agreed that cervical cancer could be prevented and was a severe disease, and 80% knew the purpose of Pap testing. Forty-nine percent were aware of HPV. Undergraduate women with an awareness of HPV were more likely to be older, studying a health-related major, have a higher class standing, have a personal history of gynecologic visits, and have had a Pap test. Neither family history of gynecologic cancer nor sexual experience predicted HPV awareness, although sexual experience had a significant association with the knowledge and beliefs of cervical cancer. Most of the undergraduate women believed themselves unlikely to acquire cervical cancer or HPV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Undergraduate women in Taiwan have limited knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV. Awareness of the likelihood of HPV infection is low among undergraduate women, even those who are sexually active.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Educational campaigns focusing on cervical cancer screening and HPV infection are needed, particularly for sexually active undergraduate women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Yun
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Ya-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Keng-Fu
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Susan Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fetzer
authors.forename: Cheng-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013624:Taiwan; D014495:Universities; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D055815:Young Adult