AI Chatbot Education for Improving HPV Knowledge Among University Students

Overview

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide and is associated with several cancers. Adequate knowledge about HPV and vaccination remains limited among university students. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot-based educational program in improving HPV knowledge among undergraduate nursing students at Cyprus International University. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an AI chatbot-based personalized education group or a control group receiving standard written educational materials. HPV knowledge will be assessed before and after the intervention using the validated HPV Knowledge Questionnaire. The findings will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of AI-supported educational strategies for improving HPV-related knowledge among university students

Study Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an AI chatbot-based educational program in improving Human Papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge among undergraduate nursing students. Study Design This study was designed as a parallel-group randomized controlled trial conducted among undergraduate nursing students at Cyprus International University, Northern Cyprus. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (AI chatbot-based personalized education) or the control group (standard written educational materials) using block randomization. Sample Size Based on a previous educational intervention study and the two-sample mean comparison formula, with a significance level of 0.05 and a statistical power of 80%, the required sample size was calculated as 30 participants per group. After allowing for a 10% dropout rate, a total of 68 participants were enrolled, with 34 participants allocated to each study group. Data Collection Tools Data were collected using: A demographic questionnaire (age, gender, faculty, year of study, previous HPV education, source of HPV information, and HPV vaccination status). The validated 29-item HPV Knowledge Questionnaire developed , assessing general HPV knowledge, HPV testing knowledge, and HPV vaccination knowledge. Intervention Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. AI Chatbot Group: Participants received personalized HPV education through an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. Educational content was tailored according to each participant's baseline HPV knowledge and included information on HPV transmission, risk factors, HPV-related diseases, vaccination, prevention strategies, and common misconceptions. Control Group: Participants received standard written educational materials covering the same HPV-related topics without chatbot interaction or personalized educational content. Outcome Assessment HPV knowledge was measured before and after the educational intervention using the validated HPV Knowledge Questionnaire. Ethical Considerations The study received approval from the Cyprus International University Ethics Review Board (Approval No. EKK25-26/15/08). The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants before enrollment. Statistical Analysis Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, paired t-tests, Chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and non-parametric tests will be performed as appropriate. Statistical significance will be be set at a two-sided P value of less than 0.05.