Eligibility and willingness of first-year students entering university to participate in a HPV vaccination catch-up program

Mehu-Parant, Françoise; Rouzier, Roman; Soulat, Jean-Marc; Parant, Olivier

doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2009.10.024

« Previous Next »European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Volume 148, Issue 2 , Pages 186-190, February 2010

Eligibility and willingness of first-year students entering university to participate in a HPV vaccination catch-up program

Françoise Mehu-Parant
- Inter-university Service of Preventive Medicine and Promotion of Health (SIMPPS), University Paul Sabatier, F-31062 Toulouse, France
Roman Rouzier
- AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, Department of Gynecology, F-75020 Paris, France
Jean-Marc Soulat
- Inter-university Service of Preventive Medicine and Promotion of Health (SIMPPS), University Paul Sabatier, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- INSERM Unity 558, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- CHU de Toulouse, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, F-31059 Toulouse, France
Olivier Parant
- Hôpital Paule de Viguier- CHU de Toulouse, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, F-31059 Toulouse, France
- Corresponding author at: Hôpital Paule de Viguier - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 330 avenue de Grande-Bretagne - TSA 70034, F-31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. Tel.: +33 567771109; fax: +33 567771123.

Received 25 May 2009; received in revised form 19 August 2009; accepted 19 October 2009. published online 09 November 2009.

Abstract

Objectives

In France, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is routinely recommended for 14-year-old girls; a catch-up vaccination should be offered to girls and women 15–23 years of age before the first time they have sex or within the first year after sexual activity begins. The aim of the present study was to examine the eligibility and willingness of first-year college students of Toulouse University (France) to participate in a HPV vaccination catch-up program, and to estimate their knowledge of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening.

Study design

The study was conducted from January to April 2008 simultaneously at the three university medical centres (Science, Literature-Psychology, Law-Social Sciences). Female students entering the University were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire at the time of their preventive medical visit. The questionnaire included questions on demographics, knowledge about HPV vaccination, sexual behaviour, and willingness to participate in the French vaccination program.

Results

In total, 606 women from the 3 colleges were included. The response rate of the questionnaire was 93.1%. The median age of participants was 19 and 8.3% of them had already been vaccinated. Of the respondents, 67.2% were sexually experienced and 25.3% of sexually experienced students had their first intercourse less than 1 year prior. Knowledge of HPV infections, associated diseases, and prevention was limited, a finding that indicates the need to pursue educational campaigns. Among respondents, 42.7% were eligible for catch-up vaccination, and 64.1% of them were willing to be vaccinated. We did not observe significant differences among the three colleges.

Conclusions

First-year college preventive consultation is an opportunity to vaccinate near 43% of women according to French recommendations. Improved education about HPV-related diseases and their prevention is needed.

Keywords: Human papillomavirus, Vaccination, College, Healthcare, Vaccine acceptability