Graduation Year

2017

Graduation Month

May

Document Type

Professional Paper

Degree Name

Pharm.D.

School or Department

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Major

Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

Faculty Mentor Department

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Faculty Mentor

Donna Beall

Keywords

Gardasil, vaccination, women's health, preventative medicine, HPV, cervical cancer

Subject Categories

Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications | Health Services Administration | Health Services Research | Neoplasms | Public Health Education and Promotion | Women's Health

Abstract

Gardasil® is a vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that can cause genital warts, cervical cancer, and other diseases. Males and females ages 9-26 are recommended to receive the Gardasil® vaccination. Most students attending the University of Montana (UM) are within the recommended age range for Gardasil® vaccination and would benefit from receiving it if they have not yet done so. Gardasil® is available at the Health Services Pharmacy on the UM campus and is often covered by insurance plans with no patient copay. In the fall semester of 2016, surveys were given to patients at the Health Services Pharmacy that inquired about the student’s Gardasil® vaccination status, barriers to vaccination they may encounter, their knowledge of HPV, and the student’s opinion of the Gardasil® vaccine. The results of the survey highlight a low vaccination rate in UM students, particularly in male students. Respondents were unaware of both the vaccine and its availability at the Health Services Pharmacy. In addition, a difference in knowledge about HPV was seen between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, with more vaccinated respondents correctly answering questions regarding Gardasil® and HPV. The results of this study suggest that a Gardasil® educational campaign should increase HPV awareness and vaccination rates in the student population at UM.

Honors College Research Project

Yes

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© Copyright 2017 Markie C. Glidewell