141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
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Online Program

288853
Sexual behaviors and HPV vaccine intentions among ethno-racial minority college students


Monday, November 4, 2013

Natalie D. Hernandez, MPH, PhD, Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Stephanie K. Kolar, MSPH, PhD, Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Lauren Young, BA, Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Christopher Wheldon, MSPH, MEd, Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Nancy Romero-Daza, PhD, Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Ellen Daley, PhD, MPH, Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Background: Young adults engage in sexual behaviors that can result in unintended health outcomes, including HPV. HPV-related diseases disproportionately affect ethno-racial women and men. Prophylactic vaccination can prevent HPV-related cancers, yet there are disparities in HPV vaccine uptake. Number of sexual partners has been associated with HPV vaccine intentions, but few have examined this relationship among ethno-racial minorities.

Purpose: Identify sexual behaviors associated with ethno-racial minority student's HPV vaccine intentions.

Methods: Ethno-racial students received study invitations from a southeastern universities' registrar's office and completed web-based surveys Nov-Dec 2011; all items are self-reported. Participants who had not received the HPV vaccine reported if they intended to receive it in the next year.

Results: Among women (n=433), those who intended to vaccinate had significantly fewer (p<0.01) lifetime number of vaginal sex partners (mean=4.6) and lifetime number of oral sex partners (mean=2.7) compared to those not intending to vaccinate (mean=9.1 and 6.0, respectively). Among men (n=230), those who intended to vaccinate had significantly higher (p=0.01) total number of sex partners in the past 12 months (mean=2.4) and fewer (p=0.03) lifetime number of sex partners (mean=9.4) compared to those not intending to vaccinate (mean=1.5 and 11.7, respectively).

Discussion: High prevalence of HPV is a cause of concern for minority men and women. Relationships between sexual behavior and HPV vaccine intention may differ by gender. Determining factors associated with HPV vaccine intentions among those at risk for HPV is important in increasing uptake of the vaccine and decreasing the burden of HPV-related diseases.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the association between sexual behaviors and HPV vaccine intentions among a racially diverse sample of college students. Discuss factors that can inform development of public health initiatives to increase HPV vaccination rates among ethno-racial minority college students.

Keyword(s): Sexual Risk Behavior, Cancer Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a co-principal investigator on the study focusing on ethno-racial disparities.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3306.0: Exploring HPV