Autori: Popa-Velea,O.,Pamfile,D.

Editorial: 14th Symposium AEP Section epidemiology and Social Psychiatry, 2008.

Rezumat:

Lect Univ Drd Ovidiu Popa-Velea
Medical student Dana Pamfile

“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, Department of Medical Psychology

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention designed to avoid Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infections among students aged 18 to 20 years.
Method:
73 students (34 men and 39 women, mean age 19,2, SD = 0,7) were administered a questionnaire that evaluated their knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer. Afterwards, they underwent a 90 minutes educational intervention, realized either in a cognitive style (based on raw knowledge about the virus and its effects), either in an emotional style (using mainly clinical cases and illustrations). Then, they were asked to evaluate their preferences for each category of interventions and later that week their HPV knowledge was reassessed, using the same questionnaire.
Results:
Before intervention, knowledge level was poor, with no significant differences between men and women (3,79 vs. 4,43, ns). After intervention, knowledge was significantly higher in both categories (7,23 vs. 8,30, p<0,001). Emotional intervention provided superior results at both genders (F = 13,615, p<0,001) and it was also preferred by most adolescents. This was independent of previous level of information (F = 28,96, p < 0,001) but dependent of gender (women valued it more: F = 4,66, p < 0,03). Conclusion: Information regarding HPV is still poor at adolescents, despite high infection rates at lower ages and serious complications. This study is useful from the perspective of evaluating the importance of educational intervention itself and of the way it should be delivered.

Cuvinte cheie: emotional vs cognitive