Most college students regularly use a smartphone, and these days there’s a mobile app for just about anything. That’s why health promoters, health communicators and healthcare providers have been exploring the possibilities of mHealth technologies to educate consumers about healthcare services.
New research from the University of Georgia suggests that in the case of HPV, healthcare providers shouldn’t place too much faith in the smart device alone to get their message across.
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection, currently affecting more than 79 million people in the United States. Though a vaccine has been available for 10 years, many college students did not receive the HPV vaccine as adolescents.
The study surveyed 210 students, aged 18 to 25, about their preferences using mobile health apps or texts to receive information about HPV and the HPV vaccine. Overall, respondents were hesitant to use texts and apps for HPV due to privacy, memory, and data cost concerns. Their responses were also categorized by gender, age, and health insurance type so the researchers could learn whether these factors further impact HPV knowledge and communication preferences.
Women, students with private health insurance, and those with easier access to a doctor tended to prefer getting information directly from a healthcare provider. Men, however, were more likely to learn about HPV vaccines from a mobile app.
The study, “Utilizing mHealth technology to increase HPV knowledge and HPV vaccine uptake in adolescents: A qualitative study,” appeared in the Journal of Adolescent and Family Health.
