Many medical students are hesitant to offer the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine because they are unsure how to explain it with their patients. A previous study found that this is especially prevalent among unvaccinated students. The goal of this study was to see if hearing a single lecture by an expert on the subject may enhance medical students’ attitudes and comfort with counselling. To evaluate the educational program’s effectiveness, researchers administered pre- and post-tests to medical students before and after a single lecture on HPV vaccination. Student characteristics linked to changes in scores were also investigated and contrasted. The pre- and post-tests were completed by a total of 256 medical students. Prior to the presentation, students exhibited a lack of understanding of HPV vaccination and expressed apprehension about advising parents of younger patients. Students over 30 years old, on the other hand, showed substantial gains in comfort following the presentation. Asian and Hispanic students improved the most in their counselling comfort, as did those who reported not having gotten the HPV vaccination.
Attending a single expert-led presentation might enhance medical students’ attitudes and comfort with HPV vaccination counselling, especially if the students have not been vaccinated. According to the findings of this study, incorporating HPV vaccination information in the regular medical student curriculum may assist boost physician recommendations for the HPV vaccine.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2019.1692558
