College students' knowledge, attitudes and behavior of human papilloma virus and the vaccine

During the Spring of 2014, 115 undergraduate students at a large southeastern public university completed a survey (99.1% response rate) on human papilloma virus (HPV) and its vaccine. The mean age was 21.9 and 49.6% of the students were female. The primary purpose of this study was to compare HPV knowledge, attitudes and sexual risk-taking behaviors between male and female college students. A secondary purpose was to compare the difference between the above HPV variables and lifetime number of sexual partners of college students. The 34 item survey consisted of five sections:  knowledge, attitudes, vaccine status, sexual risk-taking, and demographics.  Students reported a mean correct score of 10.36 out of a possible 16 on the HPV knowledge section.  Examination of the results indicated there was no significant knowledge difference between males and females or students reported number of lifetime sexual partners.  Regarding attitudes towards HPV, students generally reported attitudes that supported vaccination but did not support severity of HPV and likelihood of infection.  For example, students reported that they agreed that the HPV vaccine was a good idea and strongly disagreed that the vaccine went against their beliefs, and was not worth getting.  However, students reported that becoming infected with HPV was not likely with one important distinction.  Students who reported 3 or more lifetime sexual partners reported a significantly greater likelihood of infection than students reporting fewer sexual partners (p<.05). Finally significantly more females reported to have been vaccinated for HPV than males (43.9% vs 10.5%).