Research to Reality

Research studies indicate a general lack of knowledge among sexually active women regarding transmission, prevention, and treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV). The high incidence of cervical cancer in the female population of Vermont and the link of HPV to cervical cancer prompted the researchers to examine HPV information provided to middle and high school students. A survey tool was collaboratively developed by the HPV Working Group (Fletcher Allen Health Care), the University of Vermont, and the Vermont Cancer Center. Survey questions addressed HPV knowledge, teaching attitudes and behaviors, motivating and enabling factors, and barriers in providing HPV information to students. Public middle and high school nurses and educators throughout Vermont received the mailed survey. One hundred eight surveys were returned, and results were analyzed for four distinct groups (middle school nurses, middle school teachers, high school nurses, and high school teachers). Surveys were returned from 40 high schools and 42 middle schools. Only three of the eight HPV general knowledge questions were answered correctly by more than 70% of the participants. The two questions with the most frequent incorrect answers addressed the relationship between HPV infection and cervical cancer. One question that dealt with the use of condoms for prevention of HPV infection resulted in a statistically significant difference between correct answers from teachers (71%) in comparison to school nurses (44%) (p .006). Correct responses for the general knowledge questions were also higher from high school participants (70%) than from middle school participants (31%) (p .00001). Significantly more high school nurses (81%) stated that insufficient time was spent teaching about HPV in comparison to high school teachers (47%). Categories of HPV content taught were (a) transmission, signs and symptoms, treatment, and consequences;