Correlates of intent to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus: an exploratory study of college-aged women

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doi:10.1071/SH06046

Correlates of intent to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus: an exploratory study of college-aged women

Richard Crosby ^A ^B ^C ^G, Nancy Schoenberg ^D, Claudia Hopenhayn ^A, Greg Moore ^A ^E, William Melhan ^F

^A College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 121 Washington Ave, Lexington, KY 40506-0003, USA.
^B Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention, 801 East 7th St, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
^C The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, Indiana University, Morrison Hall, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
^D Department of Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine Office Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA.
^E B163 Kentucky Clinic, 740 S. Limestone Dr, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0284, USA.
^F Caudill Health Clinic, 112 Allie Young Hall, Morehead University, Morehead, KY 40351, USA.
^G Corresponding author. Email: crosby@uky.edu





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Sexual Health 4(1) 71–73 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SH06046
Submitted: 25 July 2006 Accepted: 17 January 2007 Published online: 26 February 2007

Abstract

This study identified correlates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine acceptance among college-aged women. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire. In multivariate analyses, women having vaginal sex (past 12 months) were nearly four times more likely to indicate acceptance (P = 0.0001). Those reporting ever having a sexually transmissible infection (STI; P = 0.03) and those indicating ever having an abnormal Pap test (P = 0.03) were more likely to indicate acceptance. Thus, three forms of ‘exposure’ (having sex, having an STI or abnormal Pap) may be linked to vaccine acceptance among young women attending universities. The findings suggest that opportunities may exist for clinic-based HPV vaccine promotion among this population of women.

Keywords: cervical cancer, prevention, sexual behaviour.