Date of Conferral

5-3-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

Suzanne Richins

Abstract

Community college women do not obtain the HPV vaccine at the same rate as university women. The aim of this study was to discover the perceptions of community college women in relation to the human papillomavirus (HPV) and associated cancers, the perceived barriers and benefits of obtaining the HPV vaccination, and how health behavior decisions may be impacted by self-concept. A qualitative research design incorporating thematic analytic was used to analyze interviews whose questions were specifically guided by the health belief model. Student volunteers aged 18 to 45 years were recruited from a large urban community college. An inductive thematic approach allowed the development of themes and codes based on the interviews conducted with the participants. The results of the study indicated that these women had a persistent lack of knowledge about resources and were confused due to the lack of readily available information regarding HPV and who may be susceptible to the potentially serious impact of having one of the cancer-causing strains. Recommendation include building collaborative initiatives with public health organizations, providing education about HPV at the college level, and making information about prevention and treatment more easily accessible to the public using social media centered on HPV and subsequent cancer prevention. Public health initiatives where sexual health is a topic must include an emphasis on HPV education, prevention, and treatment. Implications for positive social change include advocating for better health education for college students and heightened awareness for parents and families about HPV.

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