Abstract
A theory and community-based educational intervention was designed to increase HPV-related knowledge and intent to vaccinate adolescent girls, against human papillomavirus (HPV) in Appalachia, a region with high cervical cancer incidence and mortality. An HPV educational session was conducted with immediate pre-/post-test questionnaires and 1-month follow-up telephone interview. McNemar tests and paired t tests evaluated change in individual knowledge variables and change in overall knowledge and intent to vaccinate against HPV, respectively. Of 117 attendees, 38 (32.5%) were parents of vaccine-eligible daughters and 79 (67.5%) non-parental caregivers. HPV-related knowledge increased for all participants (p < 0.0001) and among parents (p < 0.0001). Intent to vaccinate daughters within 1 month increased among parents (p = 0.002). Of nine (23.7%) parents who completed the follow-up interview, 100% reported the intervention as helpful and 44.4% reported that they started vaccination. Our education intervention was associated with increased HPV-related knowledge and intent to vaccinate girls in Appalachia against HPV.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge the following for their contributions: Erik Lehman M.S., Appalachia Community Cancer Network and the Northern Appalachia Cancer Network. This publication/presentation was made possible with funding from U01CA114622 from the National Cancer Institute – Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities. This research has been shared via poster presentation at the Society of Behavioral Medicine 32nd Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions; Washington, D.C. April 30, 2011 and the National Cancer Institute Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities, Cancer Health Disparities Program meetings, Rockville, MD, July 13, 2011.
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Spleen, A.M., Kluhsman, B.C., Clark, A.D. et al. An Increase in HPV-Related Knowledge and Vaccination Intent Among Parental and Non-parental Caregivers of Adolescent Girls, Age 9–17 Years, in Appalachian Pennsylvania. J Canc Educ 27, 312–319 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-011-0294-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-011-0294-z