Cervical Cancer and HPV Knowledge and Awareness - An Educational Intervention among College Students in Guam

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Asher

Study examines cervical cancer (CC) and human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge, awareness, and related preventive behaviors among 108 college students in Guam. A 30-minute educational intervention was delivered in a classroom and assessed via pre- and post-tests measuring knowledge, awareness, and health behavior outcomes. Results analyzed with SPSS, exact McNemar’s test, and two-way mixed ANOVA show increased correct responses and significant gains over time, supporting the intervention’s effectiveness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Guam cervical cancer and HPV burden

Rationale for educational intervention

RESEARCH ARTICLE Editorial Process: Submission:04/28/2022 Acceptance:02/05/2023 Cervical Cancer and HPV Knowledge and Awareness: An Educational Intervention among College Students in Guam Lilnabeth P. Somera1 *, Tressa Diaz2, Angelina Mummert1, Grazyna Badowski3, Jaeyong Choi3, Harmony Palaganas1, Kristian Ayson3 Abstract Background: Compared to the U.S. population, cervical cancer (CC) incidence is significantly higher among the CHamoru, Micronesian, and Caucasian populations in Guam. From 2008-2012, CC was the fifth most common cancer diagnosed on the island. Despite the prevalence of CC and low HPV vaccine uptake, there is a concerning lack of awareness and preventative behavior among young adults. This study was aimed at influencing college students’knowledge and awareness of CC, CC screening, HPV, and the HPV vaccination. Methods: We delivered a 30-minute educational intervention to a sample of 108 university students in a classroom setting. The effect of the educational intervention was measured through a pre-and post-test on CC and HPV health behaviors, knowledge, and awareness. Results were analyzed using SPSS and an exact McNemar’s test was used to examine the difference in the proportion of correct answers to the tests. Two-way mixed ANOVA was used to examine between (gender, ethnicity, and class level) and within subjects (pre-and post-test) program effects. Results: Of the 108 participants, only 39 (36.1%) reported being vaccinated for HPV, 23 (21.3%) had not been vaccinated, and 46 (42.6%) did not know if they had been vaccinated for HPV. Only forty-one (60.3%) female participants had had a Pap smear. When comparing the pre-to-posttest responses, most questions had an increase in correct responses. Time also influenced CCA and HPV knowledge and awareness scores as there was a significant increase in scores from the pre-to post-test. Conclusion: The educational intervention was an effective tool for increasing knowledge and awareness of CC, HPV, and HPV vaccination among college students. While study results demonstrate the educational intervention’s success as a baseline measure of knowledge, the inclusion of behavioral outcome measures, such as intent to get vaccinated or screened, could result in more robust future studies. Keywords: Vaccine uptake-education-prevention Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 24 (2), 443-449 Introduction The incidence of cervical cancer (CC) in Guam, a United States (U.S.) territory in the Western Pacific, is six times higher among Micronesians and over three times higher for CHamorus (Guam’s indigenous people) and Caucasians living in Guam than the U.S. population (David, 2015). While it is an unincorporated territory of the U.S., Guam is geographically located in Asia and 33.6% of its population is Asian (including Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and other ethnic groups, with Filipinos making up 26.3%) (Central Intelligence Agency, 2022) . In 2021, it was estimated that 14,480 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States, with 4,290 women dying from this cancer (American Cancer Society, 2022). As it usually takes 15 to 20 years to develop, it is diagnosed most often in females between the ages of 35 to 44 years old (World Health Organization, 2020; American Cancer Society, 2022) . According to the Guam Cancer Facts & Figures 2008-2012, cervical cancer was the fifth most common cancer in Guam. With 130 cases diagnosed between 2008 to 2012, CC accounted for 6.8% of all cancer cases (David, 2015) . Invasive CC ranked as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in females. With 9 cases recorded, it accounted for 3.4% of all cancer-related deaths for females (David, 2015) . Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States (Patel et al. , 2012) . HPV occurs more frequently in sexually active young adults. In Guam, there were 200 1 Univers

FAQs

What was the goal of the educational intervention?

To influence college students’ knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer, CC screening, HPV, and HPV vaccination, and to assess related health behavior outcomes through pre- and post-testing.

How was the intervention delivered and measured?

A 30-minute educational intervention was delivered to 108 university students in a classroom setting, with effects measured using pre- and post-tests on knowledge, awareness, and HPV/CC health behaviors.

What outcomes indicated improvement after the program?

Most questions showed increases in correct responses from pre- to post-test, and time significantly increased CC and HPV knowledge and awareness scores.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Asher