Forschung, Karl Landsteiner Privatuniversität

Awareness campaign on HPV at the Campus Krems

The Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (KL) in Krems is sending a strong signal in favour of prevention and health education with an innovative HPV vaccination campaign. In cooperation with the Austrian Students' Union (ÖH) at KL, a multi-stage project has been initiated to provide young adults with in-depth knowledge about HPV and the importance of prevention.

Why an awareness campaign on HPV?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a widespread infectious disease that, in the worst case, can lead to serious illnesses such as cervical cancer. Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccination, awareness of HPV and prevention options is insufficient among many young people.
 

The KL project aims to reach students and young adults on the Krems campus in particular – a community of over 7,500 people. The aim is to promote willingness to prevent HPV through targeted education and a low-threshold vaccination campaign. In the long term, the campaign aims to spread knowledge about HPV and increase the vaccination rate in order to sustainably reduce the infection rate.
 

The campaign at a glance

The HPV awareness campaign comprises four central phases:

  1. Launch event (October 2024)
    The campaign launch begins with an interactive event featuring keynote speeches by experts in the fields of gynaecology, otolaryngology, immunology and pharmacy. The event provides comprehensive information about HPV, secondary diseases and vaccination prophylaxis. A subsequent Q&A session gives participants the opportunity to discuss their questions directly with experts.
     
  2. Vaccination campaign I (November 2024)
    In a vaccination campaign organised by the University of Klagenfurt, the Austrian National Union of Students at the University of Klagenfurt and the Austrian National Union of Students at the University of Veterinary Medicine, people who have pre-registered can be vaccinated against HPV at a low threshold. The vaccinations are supervised by medical staff, including alumni and students from the University of Klagenfurt. The aim is to facilitate access to vaccination and to lower the inhibition threshold for prevention.
     
  3. Vaccination campaign II (May 2025)
    In a second vaccination campaign organised by the KL, ÖH KL and ÖH UWK, pre-registered individuals can receive the second partial vaccination against HPV. The vaccinations are supervised by medical personnel, including KL alumni and students. The aim is to facilitate access to vaccination and to lower the inhibition threshold for prevention.
     
  4. Follow-up and future prospects
    The vaccination campaigns will be followed by a phase of follow-up, in which possible next steps will be discussed. A potential expansion of the awareness campaign to schools is being considered in order to reach younger target groups.

Practical health education


The awareness campaign on HPV shows how practical health education can reach young people directly through practical approaches. Students at KL are actively involved in the planning and implementation, which not only helps them expand their knowledge but also encourages them to take responsibility for promoting health. This is done, among other things, as an elective subject.
Focus on the future

With its practical implementation, the campaign helps to raise awareness among future decision-makers in the health care system and to point out the importance of prevention. In the long term, the project aims to raise awareness of HPV and vaccination prophylaxis, thus making an important contribution to improving public health.
 

 

Katharina Findl HPV Förderpreis

At a ceremony held in Innsbruck on Saturday, 16 November 2024, the ‘Awareness Campaign HPV at Campus Krems’ of the student council of the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences was awarded the HPV Sponsorship Prize of MSD Austria.

Contact

For questions about the HPV awareness campaign, please contact: