A community-based intervention in middle schools to improve HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening in Japan.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Ito, Tomoko Takenoshita, Remi Narumoto, Keiichiro Plegue, Melissa Sen, Ananda Crabtree, Benjamin Franklin Fetters, Michael Derwin
Abstract	Aim Japan has low rates of cervical cancer screening and Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination. This research examines the effectiveness of a family medicine resident-led, intervention in increasing knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer in middle school-girls and increasing knowledge and intention to have cervical cancer screening in their mothers. Methods We utilized a pre-test/post-test intervention design in three rural middle schools with 7th grade middle school-girls and their mothers. A school-based activity educated girls about HPV and cervical cancer. A home-based activity utilized a homework assignment for girls and their mothers. Pre/post intervention surveys were completed by the girls and their mothers. Major outcomes included changes in knowledge among girls and mothers and barriers to be screened for cervical cancer among mothers. Results Sixty-five students and sixty-three mothers completed the study. Two out five mothers were not in compliance with current screening recommendations. Identified barriers included: embarrassment (79%), poor access (56%), fear of having cancer (52%), and cervical cancer screening being an unknown procedure (46%). Forty-four percent of mothers deemed their daughters to be at risk for cervical cancer. Trusted sources of information included: doctors (97%), newspapers/television (89%), government (79%), the Internet (78%), and friends (62%). Student knowledge scores (7-point scale) improved significantly from pre- to post-intervention (4.8 vs. 5.9, p < 0.001). Knowledge scores (14-point scale) among mothers also significantly improved (11.7 vs. 12.0, p = 0.024). Conclusions These data suggest a community-based intervention on a sensitive topic by family medicine residents can be implemented in middle schools, can improve school-girls’ knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer, and can reach their mothers. Additional research could examine whether those intending to be screened receive screening and how to reach women who still resist screening.
Related Links	https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC4245727&blobtype=pdf
ISSN	14441683
Volume Number	13
DOI	10.1186/s12930-014-0013-0
PubMed Central reference number	PMC4245727
Issue Number	1
PubMed reference number	25431533
Journal	Asia Pacific Family Medicine [Asia Pac Fam Med]
e-ISSN	1447056X
Language	English
Publisher	BioMed Central
Publisher Date	2014-11-18
Publisher Place	London
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. © Ito et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014
Subject Keyword	Early detection of cancer Japan Papillomavirus vaccines Vaccination Intervention
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Family Practice