HPV Knowledge and Beliefs, Acceptance of the HPV Vaccine, and Intentions to Practice Safer Sex Behaviors among Female College Students

Background. Human papillomavirus (HPV), a public health issue related to anogenital cancers and genital warts, is common among college-aged women. The HPV vaccine effectively prevents certain high and low risk HPV types. Purpose. Utilizing the Health Belief Model and Theory of Planned Behavior as theoretical frameworks, we examined knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about HPV, as well as HPV vaccine acceptance, and intentions to practice safer sex behaviors among female university students. Methods. Female students ages 18-24 (N=2,706) from three U.S. public universities completed an online survey. Results. Most participants were knowledgeable about HPV and the vaccine. Approximately 37.3% reported receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. Most participants thought their susceptibility to HPV was low. Whereas 54% thought they were unlikely to contract HPV, 53.6% thought that HPV would be a serious problem for them. The safer sex behavior that participants reported easiest to adopt was refusing sex with a partner that would not use a condom (77.8% agree or strongly agree). Attitudes, normative beliefs, and control beliefs combined to predict intentions (R=.730, p < .001), with attitudes as the strongest predictor of intentions to practice safer sex (ß=.666), 95% CI [.649, .711]. There was a significant positive correlation between vaccine acceptance and intentions to practice safer sex (r=.087, p<.001), including likelihood of receiving the HPV vaccine (r=.098, p<.001). Conclusions. Student health centers can promote vaccine acceptance and adoption of safer sex practices as part of comprehensive prevention programs that emphasize the growing normativeness of preventive actions.