TABLE 3.
Risk Perceptions Among Study Participants
| All (n = 339) | Sexually Experienced at Baseline (n = 195) | Sexually Inexperienced at Baseline (n = 144) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | P valuea | |
| Risk perceptions (5-item subscales) | ||||
| Need for safer sexual behaviorsb | 1.6 (1.6) | 1.6 (1.7) | 1.5 (1.4) | 0.59 |
| STI risk perceptionsc | 3.9 (2.0) | 3.7 (2.1) | 4.0 (2.0) | 0.18 |
P value represents the comparison between sexually experienced and sexually inexperienced participants; a Wilcoxon test was used to compare means.
Need for safer sexual behaviors was measured by using a 5-item scale comprised of the following items: After getting vaccinated against HPV … (1) I think that condom use during sex is less necessary, (2) I feel it is just as important to have as few sexual partners as possible, (3) I feel it is not as important to talk to my sex partners about safe sex, (4) I think it is still just as important to use a condom every time I have sex, and (5) I will be less worried about having unprotected sex. Responses were on a scale ranging from 0 to 10. Some items were reverse-scored so that lower scores indicated more appropriate risk perceptions (ie, perception that safer sexual behaviors are still important after vaccination). Median scale score was 1.0 and range was 0 to 6.9.
STI risk perceptions were measured using a 5-item scale comprised of the following items: After getting vaccinated against HPV … (1) I am less worried about getting an STI or STD other than HPV, (2) I am still just as concerned about getting an STI or STD other than HPV, (3) I think getting an STI or STD other than HPV will be less of a problem, (4) I am less worried that one of my sex partners could get an STI or STD other than HPV from me, and (5) There is less of a chance that I will get an STI or STD other than HPV than there used to be. Responses were on a scale ranging from 0 to 10. Some items were reverse-scored so that lower scores indicated more appropriate risk perceptions (ie, perception that there is still a risk for STIs other than HPV after vaccination). Median scale score was 4.0 and range was 0 to 10.0.