Knowledge and awareness of nursing students regarding human papillomaviruses infection and vaccination

Mlinar, Suzana (author)

Background/Aim. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the most common cause of sexually transmitted infections. Most HPV infections are transient and asymptomatic. Routine vaccination against HPV is the best prophylaxis against HPV infection. The aim of the study was to determine knowledge and risk factors about HPV infection and the attitudes towards vaccination against HPV among nursing students. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of 175 nursing students. The students were divided into categories according to their year of studying. Statistical data analysis was done using the t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results. Most (93.1%) respondents knew that HPV infection might cause cervical cancer and that it was a sexually transmitted infection (80.0%). Only 31.4% were aware that HPV might cause head and neck cancer, and 22.9% were aware that smoking was a risk factor for HPV infection. Male respondents (p < 0.05) and third-year respondents (p < 0.05) were significantly aware that men could also be infected with HPV. Third-year respondents were significantly aware that early sexual intercourse increased the risk of HPV infection (p < 0.05) and that HPV infection could be asymptomatic (p < 0.05). Respondents under 26 years of age (p < 0.05) and first-year respondents (p < 0.05) were significantly aware that men could as well be vaccinated against HPV. Conclusion. The present study found that the respondents emphasized the importance of health education by nurses and vaccination against HPV. Due to the low vaccination rate of the population, preventive measures are needed to increase public awareness about vaccination against HPV, for which nurses are also responsible.

• Language: English
• Keywords: attitude to health, humans, knowledge, nursing care, papillomavirus, Slovenia, students, vaccinaton
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.10.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 890-896
• Numbering: Vol. 79, no. 9
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-144907
• UDC: 614.47:578.827
• ISSN on article: 2406-0720
• DOI: 10.2298/VSP200727058M
• COBISS.SI-ID: 146142979
• Publication date in RUL: 22.03.2023

MLINAR, Suzana, 2022, Knowledge and awareness of nursing students regarding human papillomaviruses infection and vaccination. Vojnosanitetski pregled [online]. 2022. Vol. 79, no. 9, p. 890–896. [Accessed 18 May 2025]. DOI 10.2298/VSP200727058M. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=144907

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Vojnosanitetski pregled
• Shortened title: Vojnosanit. pregl.
• Publisher: Vojno-medicinska akademija
• ISSN: 2406-0720
• COBISS.SI-ID: 526245657

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.
• Licensing start date: 01.10.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Serbian
• Title: Znanje i svest studenata sestrinstva o infekciji humanim papiloma virusom i vakcinaciji

Abstract

Uvod/Cilj. Humani papiloma virusi (HPV) su najčešći uzrok polno prenosivih infekcija. Većina infekcija HPV je prolazna i asimptomatska. Rutinska vakcinacija protiv HPV je najbolja profilaksa od ove infekcije. Cilj studije bio je da se utvrdi znanje o HPV infekciji, faktori rizika i stav prema vakcinaciji protiv HPV među studentima sestrinstva. Metode. Studija preseka sprovedena je na slučajnom uzorku od 175 studenata sestrinstva. Studenti su svrstani u grupe prema godini studija koju pohađaju. Za statističku obradu korišćeni su testovi t-test i Mann-Whitney U test. Rezultati. Većina ispitanika (93,1%) znala je da HPV infekcija može izazvati rak grlića materice i da je to seksualno prenosiva infekcija (80,0%). Samo 31,4% ispitanika znalo je da HPV može izazvati rak glave i vrata, a 22,9% ispitanika je znalo da je pušenje faktor rizika od infekcije HPV. Ispitanici muškog pola (p < 0,05) i ispitanici treće godine studija (p < 0,05) bili su značajno svesniji da i muškarci mogu biti zaraženi HPV. Ispitanici treće godine studija su imali značajno veću svest o tome da rani seksualni odnos povećava rizik od infekcije HPV (p < 0,05) i da infekcija HPV može biti asimptomatska (p < 0,05). Ispitanici mlađi od 26 godina (p < 0,05) i ispitanici prve godine studija (p < 0,05) su imali svest o tome da se i muškarci mogu vakcinisati protiv HPV. Zaključak. Ispitanici su naglasili važnost zdravstvene edukacije medicinskih sestara i vakcinacije protiv HPV. Zbog lošeg obuhvata stanovništva vakcinacijom potrebne su preventivne mere za podizanje svesti javnosti o vakcinaciji protiv HPV, za šta su odgovorne i medicinske sestre.

• Keywords: odnos do zdravja, ljudje, znanje, zdravstvena nega, papiloma virus, Slovenija, študenti, cepljenje