CONHECIMENTO E PERCEPÇÃO DOS ACADÊMICOS DE ENFERMAGEM SOBRE A INFECÇÃO PELO PAPILOMAVÍRUS HUMANO (HPV), O CÂNCER NO COLO DO ÚTERO E A VACINA ANTI-HPV.

Abstract

Cervical cancer is considered an important public health problem, since it affects and kills a large number of women throughout the world. The main risk factor for cervical cancer is the infection by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), considered to be the most common sexually transmitted disease, in the present days. Despite the high incidence, cervical cancer prevention programs have been implemented worldwide, through the Pap smear and HPV vaccine. Objective: To evaluate the perception and knowledge of nursing students about HPV infection, HPV associated diseases and HPV vaccine, in a private education institution, in Goiânia-GO. METHODS: It comprises a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, carried out through a questionnaire with objective questions that allowed to quantify the knowledge of the participants with regard to HPV infection, diseases associated with the virus and HPV vaccine, ensuring the analysis and interpretation of the results. The research was applied to 361 scholars from both genders. RESULTS: Correct answers related to the knowledge about HPV infection ranged from 40.3% to 99.2%, with an average of 73.8%; about the diseases associated with viruses, the indexes of correct answers ranged from 24.8% to 82.8%, with an average of 61.8%; regarding the HPV vaccine, the indexes of correct answers ranged from 40.8% to 93.0%, averaging 74.6%. CONCLUSION: The results allowed to conclude that academic nursing knowledge was reasonable in relation to HPV infection and HPV vaccine. However, insufficient results were obtained with respect to the knowledge about cancer of the uterine cervix. Thus, we highlight the need for continuing education about the subject, during and after graduation of these professionals, since nursing presents an important role in health teams and in the process of health education of the population.