Vaccinations are something that we are introduced to as soon as we are brought into this world. The advancements in vaccines have all but eradicated many diseases that were once a death sentence or untreatable once they were contracted. However, there is one vaccine series that young adults may not even know about.

       The leading ages for undergraduate college students fall under the traditional ages between 18-24 at roughly 65% (Welding, 2022). Within this age group, as well as the college environment, being sexually active is not an uncommon practice. According to an assessment done by the International Union of Sex Workers, “among individuals aged 18 to 24 years, men reported an average of 5 sexual encounters per month while women reported 6” (Branson, 2024). This is shown all over in Hollywood with movies and television produced portraying young adults having anywhere from a casual fling to a meaningful sexual relationship. However, what is not portrayed is the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases like the Human papillomavirus (HPV). According to the World Health Organization, “Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. Almost all sexually active people will be infected at some point in their lives. (World Health Organization, 2024). What is one of the more concerning aspects of HPV, however, is that when someone is infected most people will not have any signs or symptoms that they have contracted the virus (World Health Organization, 2024).

       Human papillomavirus is not just one singular virus, but a group of over 200 related viruses with some of them being spread through sexual activities involving vaginal, anal, and oral sex. (National Cancer Institute, 2023). HPV is categorized into two different groups by how much of a risk they are to the overall health of those who are infected. The high-risk group of HPV consists of the viruses that have the ability to cause several cancer types and includes 12 different types of HPV. (National Cancer Institute, 2023). The low-risk group of HPV consist of viruses that only rarely cause cancers; however, they do run the risk of causing the formation of warts “on or around the genitals, anus, mouth, or throat” (National Cancer Institute, 2023). Warts can also migrate and form in the larynx or respiratory tract of the body, resulting in problems breathing (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

     Anyone who is sexually active can be affected by HPV, both men and women. While originally the vaccine was mainly promoted for use in young girls and women to prevent cervical cancer, but is now marketed towards young men as well to prevent anal cancer and genital warts (National Cancer Institute, 2019). While the majority of the HPV infections do occur in teens and young adults, in 2022 “cervical cancer was the fourth leading cause of cancer and cancer deaths in women, accounting for over 90% of HPV-related cancers in women” (World Health Organization, 2024). Knowing that the majority of those who contract HPV do not show any signs of having the virus, it can take 15-20 years after infection for cervical cancer to develop. (World Health Organization, 2024). This means that you could contract HPV as a young adult, have no realization, and then years later end up having cervical cancer caused by the virus.

       Men are also affected by the Human papillomavirus. On an annual basis there are roughly “15,000 men that are affected by cancers caused by HPV” and over 11,500 men that receive a diagnosis for cancer in the back of the throat that is related to HPV (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, n.d.). In fact, the cancer that is most commonly caused by HPV is cancer of the back of the throat that is mostly seen in men (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, n.d.). This is why getting the HPV vaccine series is beneficial to not only women, but also men. While the vaccine does prevent contracting HPV, the vaccine does not help get rid of the virus. This falls within my key insight of getting things done right the first time. Getting the HPV vaccine before risking contracting the disease significantly reduces the risk of developing cancer related to the Human papillomavirus. In BIOL250, Microbiology learning about how viruses are spread both passively and actively helped me in pushing the necessity of being vaccinated against diseases, especially if they have vaccinations.

        With HPV infections mainly being contracted by the large percentage of undergraduate college students, the lack of information being out there for these young adults to receive their HPV vaccine had been lacking. A study done in 2018 showed that among 15–24-year-olds, the estimated number of those being infected came to 14.2 million people, both male and female (Lewis, et.al, 2021). With a study released in 2021, “the self-reported HPV vaccination rates for men and women between ages 18 and 21 years were low” (Chen, et.al, 2021). This shows that there is a significant need for college aged students to become informed on the importance of receiving their HPV vaccine 3-dose series. As someone who’s pathway is Professional and Civic Engagement and someone who is pursuing a career as a pharmacist, public health and safety is a big concern of mine.

Learning about the statistical significance of undergraduate age students not being protected against HPV, I developed a plan to pursue at University of South Carolina – Lancaster (USCL), where I am currently attending, to educate students on the importance of receiving the HPV vaccine dose series. 

For a direct approach, using my connection as a participant with TRIO, a federal educational opportunity outreach program, a seminar will be scheduled to happen during the lunch period (12:15-1:00) on the first Tuesday of each month. During the seminar, a presentation will be given to students to provide information and resources to students on the importance of receiving the HPV vaccine dose series. Each month the big bullet points of the importance of receiving the HPV vaccine will be discussed. Additional information will be edited based on feedback on what made sense to students/what they learned. I would compile the information and resources for the students to create the presentation or reach out to our nursing professors and majors to see if they would have an interest in participating in educating the college students. During these monthly seminars, students will anonymously fill out a survey/quiz on facts about HPV as well as if they have been vaccinated, if they are comfortable with disclosing that information. At the end of the seminars, the students will fill out a similar exit quiz to gauge what information they actually did learn. This data will be collected each month and will be compared to the previous months to monitor if students are being properly informed about the HPV virus. If there is not an increase in knowledge, different ways of delivering the message may be necessary to look into.

For an indirect approach, I would take advantage of the digital screens around campus. These screens cycle through slides of information of relevant information for students to take advantage of. A digital poster would be created, showing the statistics of who is affected by HPV, the risks associated with HPV, and resources available. Displaying the digital poster will be discussed with  the Director of Student Life, to gain access to them being uploaded onto the screens around campus.

There are also notice boards all over campus as well as on doors leading into buildings where I would post printed flyers (see Fig 1.) in areas of high traffic displaying the statistics and resources available that are listed on the digital poster to ensure ample visibility. The locations on the poster where you can receive vaccinations were chosen due to my own experience working at Walmart in the pharmacy. Printing will be disclosed with the Director of Student Life, in order to have access to color printing, how many papers to print, and the availability of space around campus. After printing out the flyers I will go around campus and place the flyers.

Providing the information to college students in my hometown is not going to fix the nationwide and global problem of teens and young adults needing to receive their HPV vaccine dose series. This being said, the more people who are educated and get themselves protected still lowers the number of those who contract HPV, lowering their chances of cancers related to infection and lowering the spread of this issue. My time as a pharmacy sales associate has shown me that getting things right the first time with getting vaccinated for HPV before contracting the virus not only prevents the spread of HPV, but could even save my life down the line by preventing the cancers associated with it. Getting the vaccine before you are exposed to HPV is getting something done right the first time, negating the risk of contracting HPV. This has helped push me to wanting to educate others that are around my ages and the prime demographic for ensuring they know the risks and know their options to protect themselves.

Branson, R. (2024, January 10). Sex Frequency by Age Statistics 2024. Iusw.org. https://iusw.org/sex-frequency-by-age/

Chen, M. M., Mott, N., Clark, S. J., Harper, D. M., Shuman, A. G., Prince, M. E. P., & Dossett, L. A. (2021). HPV Vaccination Among Young Adults in the US. JAMA, 325(16), 1673. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.0725 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, November 16). HPV vaccine recommendations. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/hcp/recommendations.html 

Lewis, R. M., Laprise, J.-F., Gargano, J. W., Unger, E. R., Querec, T. D., Chesson, H., Brisson, M., & Markowitz, L. E. (2021). Estimated prevalence and incidence of disease-associated HPV types among 15-59-year-olds in the United States. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 48(4). https://doi.org/10.1097/olq.0000000000001356 

‌ National Cancer Institute. (2023, October 18). HPV and Cancer. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents/hpv-and-cancer 

National Cancer Institute. (2019, June 25). The HPV Vaccine. Center for Cancer Research. https://ccr.cancer.gov/news/landmarks/article/hpv-vaccine 

‌ National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. HPV (Human Papillomavirus). (n.d.). NDID. https://www.nfid.org/infectious-disease/hpv/ 

Welding, L. (2022, July 6). College Enrollment Statistics in the U.S. | BestColleges. Www.bestcolleges.com. https://www.bestcolleges.com/research/college-enrollment-statistics/ 

World Health Organization. (2024, March 5). Human papillomavirus and cancer. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/human-papilloma-virus-and-cancer