The effect of podcasts delivered to female university students on HPV knowledge, awareness, and anxiety levels: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of podcast-based educational content delivered to students on their knowledge, awareness and anxiety levels regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

Method

This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted between 7 April 2025 and 6 June 2025, with a total of 211 students (99 in the intervention group and 112 in the control group) who were enrolled in the 2024–2025 academic year at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences Gülhane and met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form, the HPV Knowledge Scale and the HPV Awareness and Concern Level Scale (HPV-ACS) Students who volunteered to participate were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. In the first week of the study, the Descriptive Information Form, the HPV Knowledge Scale and the HPV Awareness and Concern Scale (HPV-ACS) were administered to both groups as pre-tests. Subsequently, over a four-week period, only the intervention group received a podcast-based educational program, while no intervention was applied to the control group. In the final week, post-tests were administered to both groups, thereby completing the data collection process. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0, employing frequency and percentage distributions, mean and standard deviation values, skewness and kurtosis statistics, the chi-square test, independent samples t-test and paired samples t-test. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results

The findings of the pre-test regarding HPV knowledge levels revealed that the experimental and control groups were similar, apart from certain sub-dimensions. However, post-test measurements revealed that the knowledge scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.001). Regarding total HPV-ACS scores, no significant difference was observed between the groups at the pre-test stage and the scores were found to be highly comparable (p > 0.05). Similarly, no statistically significant difference was identified between the groups in terms of total HPV-ACS scores at the post-test stage (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, when changes in HPV knowledge scores were examined, the mean difference score was 3.56 (SD 4.08) in the intervention group and 0.19 (SD 2.34) in the control group, with this difference being statistically significant (p < 0.001). In contrast, the total change score on the HPV-FE did not show a significant difference between the groups (p = 0.216). When the subscales were examined, the change score for awareness was found to be significantly higher in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were found between the groups in the subscales of health anxiety (p = 0.692) and social exclusion anxiety (p = 0.423).

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that podcast-based education significantly increases students’ knowledge levels regarding HPV; however, it does not have a pronounced effect on concern levels, while it does lead to a significant improvement in awareness, particularly within the intervention group. The study indicates that educational interventions targeting HPV, a major public health issue, are effective in enhancing knowledge and awareness and underscores the need for midwives and nurses working in preventive health services to assume an active role in the delivery of such educational programs. Furthermore, the findings indicate that podcast-based education is a practical, accessible and sustainable digital teaching method that can be integrated into nursing and midwifery training programmes. In this regard, the inclusion of podcasts, digital modules and online learning content on HPV and other preventive health topics in the curriculum could facilitate students’ access to up-to-date information, thereby contributing to the enhancement of their professional competence and their role in community education.