HPV Knowledge and Behaviors of Black College Students at a Historically Black University

Abstract

College students are at high risk for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, yet their knowledge and self-protective behaviors appear inadequate. Researchers who have measured HPV-related knowledge and behaviors in evaluating college intervention efforts pay secondary attention to black college students because this group generally represents only a small subset of samples of the broader college population. Objective and Participants The authors' purpose in this study was to examine HPV-related knowledge and behaviors in 351 black undergraduates attending a historically black southeastern university in the spring of 2003. Methods Voluntary and anonymous student participation was solicited in randomly selected undergraduate classes. Results Results indicated that most students lacked HPV awareness (64%), became aware of HPV largely after infection, and gained their HPV knowledge from a health-care provider or college class. The authors performed an analysis by gender and found that women were more knowledgeable about HPV than were men. Observed HPV-related knowledge and behaviors were similar to samples of the broader US college population. Conclusions Findings suggest a greater need for HPV intervention efforts for all college students, including those at black colleges.

Keywords:

• black college students
• health-care providers
• human papillomavirus
• sex education
• sexually transmitted infection