The effectiveness of a model-based health education program on genital warts preventive behaviors: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Background: Genital warts (GWs) are highly prevalent among Iranian women. GWs are not only highly infectious but are also followed by severe adverse effects, including the development of cervical cancer. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the effect of an educational intervention based on the health belief model (HBM) on the adoption of GWs preventive behaviors by married women in Bandar Abbas, a city in the south of Iran. Methods: A quasi-experimental intervention was conducted between 2019 and 2020 among 150 women participants (75 as the intervention and 75 as the control group). The sampling method was multi-stage clustering. The required data was collected using a reliable and valid tripartite questionnaire which explored demographic information, awareness, and HBM constructs. A total number of 15 educational sessions were held, each 90 min long. The control group received only one 90-min session. The final follow-up was completed three months after the intervention in November 2020. Results: The two research groups had no statistically significant differences in terms of awareness, perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy before the intervention (in the pre-test) (p >.05). After the educational intervention, the two groups showed statistically significant differences in all constructs except for the perceived benefits (p