Kaleen N Hayes1, Ingrid Pan1, Alyssa Kunkel2, Melissa Somma McGivney1, Carolyn T Thorpe1,3. 1. Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. 2. W.G (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, Maryland, USA. 3. Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Abstract
Objective: To design and evaluate pharmacy student-led educational sessions to improve health beliefs about the HPV vaccine in college-aged students. Participants: Students aged 18-26 attending a large, urban university, including 545 respondents to a December 2014 needs assessment survey about HPV-related health beliefs, 131 students participating in educational sessions during 2015-2016 (intervention group), and 369 undergraduate respondents completing the needs assessment survey (control group). Methods: A needs assessment survey was conducted to inform design and implementation of pharmacy student-led educational sessions. A similar survey was administered to students after attending educational sessions. Health beliefs were compared for the intervention versus control group. Results: The intervention group was less likely to report high perceived barriers to HPV vaccination and more likely to report high perceived benefits and intention to vaccinate (if previously unvaccinated). Conclusions: Pharmacy student-led, health belief-based educational sessions were associated with improved health beliefs about HPV vaccination.
Objective: To design and evaluate pharmacy student-led educational sessions to improve health beliefs about the HPV vaccine in college-aged students. Participants: Students aged 18-26 attending a large, urban university, including 545 respondents to a December 2014 needs assessment survey about HPV-related health beliefs, 131 students participating in educational sessions during 2015-2016 (intervention group), and 369 undergraduate respondents completing the needs assessment survey (control group). Methods: A needs assessment survey was conducted to inform design and implementation of pharmacy student-led educational sessions. A similar survey was administered to students after attending educational sessions. Health beliefs were compared for the intervention versus control group. Results: The intervention group was less likely to report high perceived barriers to HPV vaccination and more likely to report high perceived benefits and intention to vaccinate (if previously unvaccinated). Conclusions: Pharmacy student-led, health belief-based educational sessions were associated with improved health beliefs about HPV vaccination.
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Keywords:
College health; health behavior; human papillomavirus; immunizations; pharmacy; sexual health