Mbulawa Zizipho Z A, Somdyala Nontuthuzelo I, Mabunda Sikhumbuzo A, Williamson Anna-Lise
National Health Laboratory Service, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha, South Africa.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.
J Cancer Educ. 2023 Feb;38(1):146-152. doi: 10.1007/s13187-021-02090-3. Epub 2021 Sep 28.
Little is known about the level of knowledge and awareness with regard to human papillomavirus (HPV) and its associated risks among adolescents and young adults in South Africa. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess HPV infection and associated risks knowledge level among learners attending high schools in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Learners (females and males) attending five selected schools in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa participated. The intervention included knowledge pre-assessment, education through structured lecture, and post-education assessment. Self-administered questionnaires were used in both pre and post-intervention assessments. There were 2652 learners, who participated, with a median age of 18 years (IQR: 16-19). Female participants constituted 53.58% (1421/2652), and male participants were 46.42% (1231/2652). Before education intervention, only 4.08% (107/2623) of learners ever heard about HPV and 3.31% (87/2626) about HPV vaccination. Only 9.36% (247/2638) and 9.34% (246/2635) knew that HPV infection is sexually transmitted and associated with cervical cancer development, respectively. After education intervention, knowledge about HPV among learners increased significantly (p < 0.001). In post-education assessment, female high school learners were 66% more likely to acquire HPV knowledge than males (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.40-1.97; p < 0.0001). Exposure to an educational intervention significantly increased learners' knowledge levels. The increasing burden of cervical cancer and other HPV-associated cancers are public health problems of concern. Therefore, the evaluation of educational interventions for increasing knowledge on HPV-associated diseases is necessary for low-resource settings with a high burden of cervical cancer.
在南非，关于青少年和青年人群对人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）及其相关风险的知识水平和认知程度，人们了解甚少。开展了一项横断面研究，以评估南非东开普省高中学生的HPV感染情况及相关风险知识水平。南非东开普省五所选定学校的学生（包括女生和男生）参与了研究。干预措施包括知识预评估、通过结构化讲座进行教育以及教育后评估。干预前后评估均使用了自填式问卷。共有2652名学生参与，中位年龄为18岁（四分位间距：16 - 19岁）。女性参与者占53.58%（1421/2652），男性参与者占46.42%（1231/2652）。在教育干预前，只有4.08%（107/2623）的学生听说过HPV，3.31%（87/2626）的学生听说过HPV疫苗接种。分别只有9.36%（247/2638）和9.34%（（246/2635）的学生知道HPV感染是通过性传播的以及与宫颈癌的发生有关。教育干预后，学生对HPV的知识显著增加（p < 0.001）。在教育后评估中，高中女生获得HPV知识的可能性比男生高66%（比值比，1.66；95%置信区间，1.40 - 1.97；p < 0.0001）。接触教育干预显著提高了学生的知识水平。宫颈癌和其他HPV相关癌症日益增加的负担是令人担忧的公共卫生问题。因此，对于宫颈癌负担较高的资源匮乏地区，评估旨在增加HPV相关疾病知识的教育干预措施是必要的。
