The Relationship between HPV Vaccination Experience, Recognition of Cervical Cancer, and Screening Behavior

－A Survey at Nursing School A－

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain basic data for the implementation of health promotion activities so that adolescent women can make appropriate decisions and select proper behaviors for the prevention of cervical cancer. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 273 female nursing school students in January 2015. A total of 248 valid responses were included in the analysis. The contents of the survey included school year; history of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening; and recognition and sources of information about cervical cancer, HPV vaccines, and cervical cancer screening. One hundred and thirty-eight students (55.6%) received the cervical cancer vaccine. The most common reason for receiving the vaccination was “because it was recommended by my parents” (n=95, 68.8%), followed by “because it was recommended at the school” (n=52, 37.7%). Nearly 30% of the students reported a bad experience with the vaccination and approximately 70% complained of muscle pain, arm pain, inability to lift the arm, or swelling. One hundred and ten students (44.4%) did not receive the cervical cancer vaccine. The most common reason for not receiving the vaccine was “because the vaccine has adverse reactions” (n=48, 43.6%). Comparison of vaccinated and unvaccinated students revealed a statistically significant difference in the proportion of students with screening experience between vaccinated and unvaccinated students: 37 (26.8%) and 12 (10.9%), respectively (P =0.002). These results suggested that improving the vaccination rate would improve the screening rate and that it is desirable to intensify education about the need for screening at or after vaccination. Furthermore, health promotion activities for the prevention of cervical cancer require that adolescent females and their guardians acquire health information literacy, which is the ability to access, examine, and utilize reliable information effectively and efficiently.