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Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection becomes one of the commonest sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) nowadays. The common types of HPV caused more than 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts worldwide. Two HPV vaccines were available since 2006, which were approved to be safe and effective in preventing HPV-related infections. The effectiveness is optimal in people before sexual activity. As the mean age of first sex in Hong Kong found was 20 years old, it is vital to understand the vaccination status, acceptance, knowledge and perception towards HPV infection and vaccination among Hong Kong undergraduates who is the target group of vaccination.
Aim: To train first year nursing students to promote primary health care (PHC) on campus during Summer 2013 by addressing the myth versus knowledge, perception and acceptance towards HPV infection and vaccination between male and female university students in Hong Kong.
Method: Former research findings obtained from self-administered questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, awareness, knowledge and perceptions of HPV infection and vaccination, sexual history, medical history of personal and significant others as well as vaccination status, was used in the study. The HPV prevention health pamphlets and mobile board games were used to achieve health prevention for both male and female undergraduates.
Results: Over a thousand peer-students-encounter of primary healthcare activities were conducted in following up the results based on former research study from 2243 of undergraduates participants. 14.6% (n=180) of female have received the vaccine when only 1.4% (n=1011) of male have initiated with a significant difference (p=0.000). The acceptance varied between genders as 20.7% of female accepted and 2.1% of male accepted (p=0.000). They had moderate knowledge level towards HPV when female scored higher significantly (p=0.000). The relationship between knowledge level and acceptance was shown in female group when the accepted one had higher knowledge. Perceptions which were assessed by the Health Belief Model (HBM) showed significant differences among them. Male had lower susceptibility, severity, benefits, cues to action and self-efficacy with higher barriers (all p=0.000). The relationship between all items of perceptions and acceptance were shown in female group when the relationship of perceived barriers and acceptance was shown in male group.
Conclusion: As PHC activity prepared students were using different purposive strategies for health education and promotions for undergraduates as the differences between genders and age group were identified.
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