Objective To examine HPV vaccine intent and the effect of an educational intervention on vaccine uptake among female college students Participants Females 18–26 attending a university health service gynecology clinic (n=256) Methods Participants were randomized to receive either HPV-specific education with a mailed reminder, or standard care. Predictors of HPV vaccine intent and uptake at six months following enrollment were identified. Results At baseline, 41% intended to undergo HPV vaccination. Participants who were currently sexually active and lacked supplemental health insurance had decreased intent. Perceived parental approval regarding HPV vaccination, perceived vulnerability to HPV infection, and belief in health benefits of HPV vaccine were associated with increased intent. HPV vaccine uptake was low (5.5%) and did not differ by study group. However, baseline intent was significantly associated with HPV vaccine uptake. Conclusions Interventions to increase HPV vaccine uptake in college students should address HPV-related beliefs and broader barriers to vaccination.

Objective To assess multiple dimensions of long acting reversible contraception (LARC) knowledge and perceived multi-level barriers to LARC use among a sample of college women. Study Design We conducted an internet-based study of 1,982 female undergraduates at a large mid-western university. Our 55-item survey used a multi-level framework to measure young women’s understanding of, experiences with intrauterine devices (IUD) and implants and their perceived barriers to LARC at individual, health systems, and community levels. The survey included a 20-item knowledge scale. We estimated and compared LARC knowledge scores and barriers using descriptive, bivariate, and linear regression statistics. Results Few college women had used (5%) or heard of (22%) LARC, and most self-reported “little” or “no” knowledge of IUDs (79%) and implants (88%). Women answered 50% of LARC knowledge items correctly (mean 10.4, range 0–20), and scores differed across sociodemographic groups (p-values<0.04). Factors associated with scores in multivariable models included race/ethnicity, program year, sorority participation, religious affiliation and service attendance, employment status, sexual orientation, and contraceptive history. Perceived barriers to IUDs included: not wanting a foreign object in body (44%); not knowing enough about the method (42%); preferring a “controllable” method (42%); cost (27%); and not being in a long-term relationship (23%). Implant results were similar. “Not knowing enough” was women’s primary reason for IUD (18%) and implant (22%) nonuse. Conclusion Lack of knowledge (both perceived and actual) was the most common barrier among many perceived individual, systems, and community-level factors precluding these college women’s LARC use. Findings can inform innovative, multi-level interventions to improve understanding, acceptability, and uptake of LARC on campuses.

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INTRODUCCIÓNLa equinococosis es una enfermedad parasitaria y zoonótica de distribución mundial 1 el agente etiológico descrito en Chile es el Echinococcus granulosus, siendo el perro el hospedador definitivo de mayor importancia epidemiológica 2 . Esta enfermedad tiene una mayor prevalencia en áreas donde la ganadería es la actividad más relevante [3][4] . La prueba de "arecolina" es la técnica utilizada tradicionalmente para determinar la prevalencia de equinococosis. Este método se basa en el empleo de bromhidrato de arecolina, alcaloide derivado de la nuez de areca, con acción parasimpaticomimética 9 , que produce, en el individuo tratado, la evacuación del contenido intestinal 10 . Actúa sobre la musculatura lisa del parásito, provocándole parálisis y causando su desprendimiento de la mucosa entérica 11 . Se describe una alta sensibilidad, cercana al 100%, con valores predictivos positivos altos, a través de todo el rango de posibles prevalencias, mientras que el valor predictivo negativo bordea el 68% 12 . La especificidad depende de la respuesta efectiva del perro a la administración de bromhidrato de arecolina, logrando la evacuación intestinal (10 a 25% de los perros no reaccionan a la droga), y de la técnica en la lectura de la muestra [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] .

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