Evaluating the Impact of an Educational Intervention on Medical Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Human...

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant public health concern due to its rising incidence and strong association with cancers of the head, neck, and genitalia. High-risk HPV types are responsible for cervical, oropharyngeal, and various anogenital cancers. Despite proven vaccine efficacy, vaccination rates remain low in adolescents and young adults. This study assessed whether an educational infographic improved medical students' knowledge and attitudes toward HPV. Medical students (years 1-4) at Wayne State University completed electronic pre- and post-intervention surveys regarding an infographic covering HPV, HPV-related cancers, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination guidelines. Surveys included demographic questions and pre- and post-infographic items assessing HPV knowledge and attitudes using a Likert-scale format. 234 paired responses were analyzed using paired t-tests. Students demonstrated significant post-intervention increases in knowledge of HPV types (p < 0.001), transmissibility (p < 0.001), vaccination schedule (p < 0.001), and side effects (p < 0.001). Likelihood of encouraging vaccination to family members within three months increased (p < 0.001). No significant change was observed in likelihood of recommending vaccination to future patients, likely due to high baseline agreement. Similarly, recommendations for increased HPV-focused education in medical school remained high post-infographic. The educational intervention significantly improved medical students' HPV knowledge and willingness to promote vaccination to family members. These findings highlight knowledge gaps that can be addressed in medical curricula. Future research can assess whether improved knowledge translates into real-world vaccination discussions and explore geographic differences in HPV-related knowledge and attitudes across medical schools.