This study was conducted to examine the factors associated with HPV (Human Papillomavirus) related stigma, shame and intent to have HPV test among adult women.

Data were collected from December 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010, and participants were 324 women who visited an obstetric gynecologic clinic. They anticipated testing positive for HPV. Then HPV related stigma, shame, intent to have HPV testing and HPV knowledge were measured. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test and multivariate adjusted logistic regression were used for data analysis.

The levels of stigma and shame were higher than average. Intent to have HPV test was high and HPV knowledge was low. Women who answered that HPV is not sexually transmitted had lower HPV stigma than did women who answered they didn't know (OR=0.20, 95%CI 0.06-0.68). Women with lower stigma showed lower intent to have HPV test than women with higher stigma (OR=0.46, 95%CI 0.26-0.82).

Basic HPV information should be fully understood for women especially prior to HPV test. Normalizing HPV stigma is necessary for women who perceive HPV as sexually transmitted and women intending to have HPV test.

This study was done to identify the effects of a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) linked to cervix cancer prevention education program for unmarried university female students. A new model in the cervix cancer prevention is provided.

The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were 63 female students in one of two university in an experimental group (29 students) and control group (34 students). After 4 weeks education, the differences between the two groups in the measurement variables were compared. Twelve weeks later, a follow-up test was done for experimental group only.

After the education, experimental group showed significantly higher scores in all variables, the intention for Pap test (Z=-3.73, p<.001), intention for HPV vaccination (Z=-3.14, p=.002), general cancer prevention behavior (Z=-2.20, p=.028), attitudes to Pap (Z=-3.23, p=.001), benefits of cancer prevention behavior (Z=-3.97, p<.001), and HPV linked to cervix cancer knowledge (Z=-5.40, p<.001). In the follow-up study, the experimental group showed intermediate effects in intention for Pap test, intention of HPV vaccination and HPV linked to cervix cancer knowledge as well as short term effects in general cancer prevention behavior, attitudes to Pap and benefits of cancer prevention behavior.

The program developed for this study on prevention education of HPV linked to cervix cancer was effective for unmarried university students in the short term and intermediate duration. Other educational approaches should be developed and short term effects and longitudinal changes of the education should be assessed. This education program should also be replicated for other female groups including unmarried working women or female adolescents.