Awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus vaccine among young adults in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

To asses the level of awareness and knowledge of Human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer (CC) and Human papilomavirus vaccine (HPVV) among adolescents in senior secondary school in Ibadan North, Nigeria. This cross-sectional descriptive study carried out among 160 female and male adolescents in two private and two public senior secondary school of Ibadan North Local Government. A semi-structured questionnaire which included questions relating to level of awareness and knowledge of Human papillomavirus infection, cervical cancer and human papillomavirus vaccine was used to obtain information from the respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test (p<0.05). Respondents' mean age was 13.0±1.7 year and more than half of the respondents were female (51.9%), majority of the respondents were in grade 10 (39.4%) and grade 12(33.8%) respectively, 87.3% of the respondents live with both parents. Sixty-eight percent of the respondents have heard of HPV, the main sources of information were from school (41.2%),mass media (27.5%) and seminar attended (13.7%) respectively,32% of the respondents knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection,31.8% acknowledge it as viral infection and 35.8% agreed that it can infect both male and female,41.9% agreed that it transmitted through sharing of toiletries and sharp objects,30% were aware that it can be transmitted through sexual intercourse while 28% of the respondents believed that early age of sexual debut is a risk factor and having multiple sexual partners predisposes to HPV infection while 29.4% of the respondents agreed that engaging in an unprotected sex is a risk factor for transmitting HPV infection. However, 41.3% of the respondents who were aware and knowledgeable that abstinence is a good measure for preventing HPV infection. Only 15.6% have heard of HPVV, 18.8% were aware that it can prevent it and HPVV is meant for both male and female. Living with parent and being in either private or public school was not statistical significant with the knowledge of HPV (p>0.70), categories of classes of the respondent was not significantly associated with their knowledge of HPV vaccine (p>0.63), there is significant relationship between the gender and awareness that having multiple sexual partner predisposes to HPV (p<0.009). Level of awareness and knowledge of HPV infection, cervical cancer and HPV vaccine were very low among the adolescents, programmers that promote knowledge should be incorporated into the curriculum, teachers of various school be updated. Keywords: Human papillomavirus infection, adolescents, HPV vaccine, knowledge Citation Format: OLUBUNMI OLABISI ADETULE. AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF HUMANPAPILLOMAVIRUS AND HPV VACCINE AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN NORTH IBADAN, NIGERIA: A PREVENTIVE TOOL FOR FUTURE LEADERS. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A60.

We examined differences in HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge among individuals who use the Internet as their main source of health information versus those who do not. Data were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey Cycles 3 and 4 (N = 6862), a cross-sectional random-digit-dialed telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults aged ≥18 years. Multivariate logistic regression models estimated correlates of HPV and HPV vaccine awareness and knowledge among both groups. Approximately 76% of respondents who use the Internet as their main source of health information and 56% of who do not, reported an awareness of HPV and the vaccine (p < .0001). In multivariate analyses, independent of Internet use for health information, females were significantly more likely to be aware of HPV and the vaccine than males. Among those who used the Internet as their primary information source, high school diploma holders were less likely to be aware of HPV and the vaccine, compared with college graduates. However, there was no educational difference among those who did not use the Internet. Overall, Internet users had a significantly increased knowledge and awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine compared with non-Internet users, however, both groups had gaps. Continued education and innovative information dissemination techniques are needed to improve HPV and HPV vaccine awareness among both individuals who use the Internet as their primary source of information and those who do not.

Background: There is a growing need to provide digital access to accurate and up-to-date health information as millions of Americans now consider the internet their primary source of health information. Information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and the HPV vaccine, is a health topic that receives a lot of attention among internet users. HPV is the most common STI in the United States and globally, and some oncogenic strains of the virus are causally linked to several anogenital cancers and oropharyngeal cancer. Three HPV vaccines have been licensed for use in preventing 70% to 90% of HPV strains associated with cervical cancer, and other anogenital cancers that affect both sexes. Yet, there are still gaps in HPV knowledge in the general population, and HPV vaccine uptake remains abysmally low, especially among males. There is a dearth of information on sociodemographic predictors of HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge among internet users. We aimed to fill this gap by examining racial and gender disparities in HPV and HPV vaccine awareness among US adults that use the internet as their primary source of health information. Methods: Data were obtained from the National Cancer Institute's 2014 the Health Information National Trends Survey Cycles 3 and 4 (HINTS; N=6,862), a cross-sectional random-digit-dialed telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years or older. Excluding respondents who used other sources to seek health information resulted in a final sample size of 3,038 individuals who reported using the internet as their primary source. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess racial/ethnic and gender disparities in HPV HPV vaccination awareness. Results: Approximately 70% of respondents used the internet to seek health information. Nearly 72% of internet users and 39% of non-internet users reported an awareness of HPV and the vaccination. In multivariate analyses, age, gender, race and education were significant predictors of HPV and HPV vaccine awareness. Older adults were less likely to be aware of HPV (OR=0.35; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.58) and the HPV vaccine (OR=0.33; 95% CI: 0.19, 0.59) compared to younger adults. Females were 3.31 (95% CI: 2.41, 4.56) times and 4.26 (95% CI: 3.10, 5.86) times more likely to be aware of HPV and HPV vaccination compared to males, respectively. Non-Hispanic Blacks (OR=0.43; 95% CI: 0.26, 0.69) were less likely to be aware of HPV vaccination than non-Hispanic Whites; but there was no statistically significant difference between non-Hispanic Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites regarding their awareness of HPV. There were no statistical differences between non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics regarding their knowledge of HPV and the HPV vaccination. The likelihood of being aware of HPV and the HPV vaccine declined steadily across education levels. Individuals without a high school diploma reported the least awareness (OR=0.24; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.62) compared to those with a college degree or higher. Conclusion: Despite the large number of individuals who use the internet to seek health information, gaps remain in HPV and HPV vaccine awareness among internet users. Also, racial and gender disparities in HPV and HPV vaccine awareness persist even among internet users. Continued education and alternative information dissemination techniques are imperative to improve HPV and HPV vaccine awareness, and to eliminate gender and racial/ethnic disparities. Citation Format: Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters, Betelihem B. Tobo, Rebecca M. Gordon, Eric Adjei Boakye. Sociodemographic predictors of HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge and awareness among Americans who use the Internet as their primary source of health information. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A52.

Human papillomavirus awareness among foreign- and US-born Hispanics, United States, 2017-2018.

Awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccination among adults ages 27–45 years

There is a high burden of cervical cancer in the Caribbean region, particularly in the Bahamas, yet there are few studies of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine in the region. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine among school-aged youth (15–18 years) living in the Bahamas. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the “Getting to Zero” HIV study in the Bahamas conducted in 2014/2015 (n = 1553). The questionnaire elicited information on knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccines, using previously validated scales. Data analysis included Chi-square tests and Mann Whitney U test. In this sample of school-aged youth, only 10.7% (146/1364) had ever heard of HPV. With respect to those who were sexually active (n = 685), only 10.7% had ever heard of HPV. For those who had heard of HPV, knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccines was assessed on an HPV Knowledge and HPV Vaccine Knowledge scale, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in mean HPV knowledge score between males and females, or HPV vaccine knowledge scores, between males and females. There was a general lack of awareness of HPV and HPV vaccines among school-aged youth in the Bahamas. This is an important gap in the HPV vaccine strategy and cancer prevention, as this is the age at which most people acquire HPV. It emphasizes the importance of developing a careful implementation plan, with an evaluation of knowledge and attitudes, in order to have an effective HPV vaccine uptake.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a causative agent in cervical cancer as well as anal, oropharyngeal, penile, and vaginal/vulvar cancers. Licensed, effective HPV vaccines have been available in the U.S. since mid-2006 for females and late 2011 for males and are recommended up to age 26. Despite this, in 2014, only 39.7% of U.S. girls and 21.6% of boys 13 to 17 years of age completed the three-dose vaccine series. ‘Lack of knowledge’ was a primary reason cited among parents for not vaccinating their children. HPV vaccination rates are lower still among 19-26 year olds, particularly among the uninsured. We assessed awareness and knowledge of HPV disease, HPV-related cancers, and HPV vaccines among working, uninsured adults and used 2014 data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS cycle 4) as a national benchmark against which to compare our data. Methods: Self-administered surveys were offered to patients attending appointments at the Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) clinic in Jacksonville, FL between September 10, 2014 and October 24, 2014. VIM provides free primary care for working individuals without insurance living and/or working in Duval County. Patients were eligible to participate if they were at least 18 years of age, not in acute distress, and had not completed a survey during pilot-testing. Surveys were available in English and Spanish and contained a validated HPV knowledge measure assessing disease knowledge and vaccine knowledge. Additionally, HPV-related cancer knowledge was assessed: 5 HPV-related (cervical, anal, throat, penile, vaginal/vulvar) and 4 not currently known to be HPV-related (lung, breast, prostate, skin). High knowledge was defined as having a knowledge score in the upper quartile of positive values. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression to assess the association of demographic characteristics with having high knowledge of HPV, HPV vaccines, and HPV-related cancer. Additional models assessed individual cancers. During the study period 356 patients were eligible to participate; of these, 55 declined (84% participation rate). Of the 301 surveys, 5 surveys were excluded from analysis due to excessive missing data; a total of 296 surveys were analyzed. Results: 50.3% of participants (n=149) had heard of HPV, 37.2% (n=110) correctly indicated that HPV is sexually transmitted, and 32.1% (n=95) had heard of the HPV vaccine. In HINTS 4, these estimates were 63.6%, 44.0%, and 62.7%, respectively. In adjusted models, high HPV disease knowledge was associated with race (OR non-white = 0.39 (0.19, 0.78)) and education (OR &amp;gt;high school = 2.34 (1.14, 4.84)) while high HPV vaccine knowledge was associated with race (OR non-white = 0.42 (0.21, 0.82)), education (OR &amp;gt;high school = 5.04 (2.30, 11.06)), and sex (OR male = 0.34 (0.12, 0.94)). Of the HPV-related cancers, 43.9% answered correctly for cervical, 9.1% for anal, 11.1% for mouth/throat, 11.5% for penile, and 30.7% for vaginal/vulvar cancer. Males were less likely than females to know that HPV is a causative agent for cervical (OR=0.41 (0.22, 0.75)) and vaginal/vulvar cancers (OR=0.43 (0.22, 0.86)). Conclusion: Using estimates obtained in HINTS 4 as a benchmark, awareness and knowledge of HPV, HPV-related cancers, and HPV vaccines were low among working, uninsured adult patients. In addition to improving access to HPV vaccination (e.g. volunteer clinics), the findings demonstrate a need for strategies to educate medically underserved adults about HPV. Maximizing access to HPV vaccination, including catch-up vaccination for adults up to age 26 are consistent with the recommendations of the President's Cancer Panel, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Citation Format: Carmen Radecki Breitkopf, Lila Finney Rutten, Debra Jacobson, Patrick Wilson, Monica Albertie, Robert M. Jacobson, Gerardo Colon-Otero. Awareness and knowledge of HPV, HPV-related cancers, and HPV vaccines in a working, uninsured clinic population. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B91.

Background: Awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine are critical antecedents of HPV vaccine uptake. While emerging literature has examined racial and ethnic differences in these areas, most either exclude Asian Americans, subsume them under the category of “other,” or aggregate all origin groups under a single category of “Asians.” To fill this gap in the literature regarding data disaggregation, we conducted an analysis of awareness and knowledge of HPV, the HPV vaccine, and HPV-related cancers among six Asian origin groups (Chinese, Filipinos, Indians, Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese), using nationally representative samples. Methods: We performed a pooled cross-sectional study utilizing the Health Information National Trend Survey data (HINTS-4 cycle 4 [2014], HINTS-5 cycles 1-3 [2017-2019]), a nationally representative survey administered by the National Cancer Institute. We analyzed questions about knowledge of HPV, the HPV vaccine, and the facts that HPV causes cervical, oral, anal, and penile cancers by race and/or ethnicity. The sample included those who self-reported as Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese origins; non-Hispanic White (NHW) respondents were the reference group. We used survey-design adjusted Wald chi-square tests. Results: A total of 8,865 non-Hispanic White respondents and 623 Asian respondents were included in this study. Significantly lower proportions of most Asian origin groups (Chinese 45.5%; Indian 45.6%; Korean 39.7%; and Vietnamese 43.5%) had heard of HPV compared with NHW counterparts (69.4%). Significantly lower proportions of Chinese (50.9%), Filipino (47.0%) Korean (46.1%), and Vietnamese (38.8%) respondents had heard of the HPV vaccine compared with NHW respondents (68.1%). Significantly lower proportions of Chinese (41.0%), Indian (36.2%), Korean (32.9%), and Vietnamese (30.6%) respondents knew that HPV causes cervical cancer compared with NHW (55.7%). Significantly lower proportions of Chinese and Vietnamese respondents knew that HPV causes anal and oral cancers, and significantly lower proportions of Indian respondents knew that HPV causes penile cancer, when compared to NHW counterparts. Discussion: Most Asian origin groups had lower knowledge of HPV-related facts, with varying magnitudes, compared with NHW counterparts. Vietnamese and Chinese respondents had significantly lower knowledge compared with NHW respondents for 5 out of 6 questions. For most questions, Vietnamese was the group with the lowest proportions of respondents reporting knowledge. Heterogeneity in HPV-related knowledge suggests the need to culturally tailor interventions about the HPV vaccine in appropriate languages to effectively reach different Asian origin groups, with particular attention to those with low awareness. Continued monitoring of HPV-related knowledge with disaggregated data collection for Asian origin groups is critical for efforts to increase educational outreach, combat vaccine misinformation, and improve HPV vaccine uptake. Citation Format: Milkie Vu, Yenan Zhu, Duy D. Trinh, Young-Rock Hong, Ryan Suk. A population-based analysis of awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine among Asian American adults by origin group, 2014-2019 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C140.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection among teenagers and young adults. HPV vaccination and screening are vital preventive measures to reduce the incidence of HPV-related complications, including cervical cancer. Given the rising global incidence of cervical cancer, understanding the factors influencing awareness and knowledge among young adults in Saudi Arabia is essential for developing effective prevention strategies. This study investigates the levels of awareness, knowledge, and vaccine acceptability regarding HPV and cervical cancer among college students in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and September 2023 among 442 students in Saudi Arabia using a structured questionnaire to assess their knowledge and awareness of HPV, HPV vaccination, and cervical cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the associations between predictor and dependent variables. Among participants, 54.1% were aware of HPV, and 66.5% had heard of cervical cancer. However, only 17% correctly identified HPV16 and HPV18 as high-risk genotypes for cervical cancer. Awareness of the HPV vaccine was reported by 36.2% of participants, with just 10% having received the vaccine. Female students exhibited significantly higher knowledge levels than males (p = .018). The primary barrier to vaccination was identified as a lack of education and awareness (80.1%). The study highlights a significant gap in knowledge and awareness regarding HPV, its vaccine, and cervical cancer among college students in Saudi Arabia. Targeted educational programs and awareness campaigns are essential to enhance understanding and promote preventive practices, including vaccination and regular screening.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common HPV-associated cancer, and Korean Americans (KAs) experience one of the highest CC incidence and mortality rates among Asian Americans. Awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine are essential in preventing HPV-associated cancers; however, studies emphasize low HPV awareness and knowledge among KAs. Although HPV causes cancers in both men and women, there exist misconceptions that the HPV vaccine is only for women and not for men. Furthermore, research on HPV vaccination among KAs has been conducted mostly among women. The health belief model (HBM) is a value-expectancy theory that is used to explain and predict individual changes in health behaviors and has been used in multiple studies that aimed to understand HPV vaccination behavior. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop an HBM guided text messaging program to increase HPV awareness, knowledge, and HPV vaccination among Korean young adults in the U.S. Methods: A total of 10 Korean young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 completed the mixed methods study. The survey examined HPV, HPV vaccine, and cervical cancer awareness and knowledge, beliefs, and vaccination intention. The qualitative interview with cognitive response testing (CRT) of the text messages, which were preconstructed based on previous literature and six constructs of HBM, allowed participants to provide feedback on the comprehension and emotional response to the messages, and any other recommendations to improve the content and delivery of the messages. Results: All participants (N=10) indicated to have never received the HPV vaccine and most participants had no intention to receive the HPV vaccine within one year. Although most of the participants were aware of HPV and HPV vaccine, overall knowledge of HPV, HPV vaccine, and cervical cancer were low. The interviews revealed that reasons for vaccine hesitancy and non-vaccination included cost, inconvenience, and low perceived susceptibility. Especially, there was low perception of the importance of HPV vaccination for males. Overall, findings from the CRT showed that there was a clear understanding of the preconstructed text messages. There was a consensus on the duration and timing of the messages and participants provided recommendations on the content, tone, and structure of the messages. Using the HBM, participants’ feedback on HPV awareness, knowledge, and vaccination intention, the text messaging library was revised and includes a total of 9 text messages over the four days. Conclusions: This study provides important insights into the development of an educational text messaging program among Korean young adults in the U.S. Current study will build a foundation for an educational mobile health program to help increase awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV-associated cancers, as well as HPV vaccination intention, and impact HPV-associated cancer rates among KAs through vaccination in the long term. Citation Format: Min Jeong Jeon, Daisy Le. Development of an educational text messaging program to improve human papillomavirus awareness, knowledge, and vaccination intention among Korean young adults in the U.S. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C101.

ObjectivesWe aimed to provide a detailed characterisation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine awareness, knowledge and information sources in the HPV vaccine decision-making process of youth, both male and female, in...

Background: Nearly 80 million people in the U.S. are currently infected with at least one of two strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is associated with 70% of cervical, and more than 90% of oropharyngeal, cancers. Racial/ethnic disparities in cervical cancer are pervasive, with non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women experiencing disproportionately higher incidence and mortality rates than other racial or ethnic groups. Further, although it has been almost 10 years since the approval of the first of three HPV vaccines for boys and girls, disparities in knowledge and awareness about HPV and the HPV vaccine persist, and vaccination rates are suboptimal. The goal of this study was to assess racial/ethnic and gender disparities in the knowledge and awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine among US adults. Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey Cycles 3 and 4 (HINTS; N=6,862). Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess racial/ethnic and gender disparities in HPV knowledge and HPV vaccination awareness. Results: Sixty-six percent of Americans had heard of HPV and the HPV vaccine; and seventy percent knew that HPV causes cervical cancer. However, we found racial/ethnic and gender disparities in knowledge and awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine. In multivariate analyses, females were 3.28 times (95% CI: 2.62 – 4.09) more likely to have heard of HPV, and 3.86 times (95% CI: 3.11 – 4.79) more likely to have heard of the HPV vaccine compared to males. Non-Hispanic Blacks were 33% (95% CI: 0.47 – 0.96) and 44% (95% CI: 0.39 – 0.81) less likely than non -Hispanic Whites to have heard of HPV and the HPV vaccine, respectively. There was no significant difference between Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites regarding HPV knowledge; however, Hispanics were 53% (95% CI: 0.34 – 0.64) less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to have heard of the HPV vaccine. Females were more likely than males to know that HPV causes cervical cancer (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13 – 1.96). Non-Hispanic Blacks were 48% (95% CI: 0.35 – 0.76) less likely to know that HPV causes cervical cancer compared to non-Hispanic Whites. However, there was no statistically significant difference between Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites regarding awareness that HPV causes cervical cancer. Forty-six percent of Americans were aware that HPV often clears on its own without treatment. Conclusions: Non-Hispanic Blacks and males suffer the greatest disparities associated with knowledge and awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine. Increasing awareness about the HPV vaccine may help improve vaccination uptake, especially among males and minority populations. Thus, future interventions targeting males and minority populations, for whom knowledge gaps currently exist, are needed. There is also a need to improve physician-patient communications to maximize physician discussion of the HPV vaccine with patients and parents of children eligible for the HPV vaccine. Citation Format: Eric Adjei Boakye, Betelihem B. Tobo, Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters. Racial and gender disparities in knowledge and awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine in a national sample of U.S. adults. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A51.

Since vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) became available, awareness of HPV has dramatically increased. Implementation of a vaccine program varies internationally yet no studies have explored the influence this has on the public's knowledge of HPV. The present study aimed to explore differences in awareness of HPV and HPV knowledge across three countries: The US, UK and Australia.Participants (n=2409) completed a validated measure of HPV knowledge as part of an online survey. There were higher levels of HPV awareness among men and women in the US than the UK and Australia. Being male and having a lower educational level was associated with lower HPV awareness in all three countries. Awareness of HPV vaccine was higher in women from the US than the UK and Australia. Women in the US scored significantly higher on general HPV knowledge (on a 15-item scale) than women in the UK and Australia, but there were no between country differences in HPV vaccine knowledge (on a 6-item scale). When asked about country-specific vaccine availability, participants in the US were less able to identify the correct answers than participants in the UK and Australia. More than half of participants did not know: HPV can cause genital warts; most sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their life; or HPV doesn’t usually need treatment.Pharmaceutical advertising campaigns could explain why awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine is higher in the US and this has helped to get some important messages across. Significant gaps in HPV knowledge remain across all three countries.

This study assessed human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer, and HPV vaccine knowledge and awareness among women in two sub-populations in Nepal - Khokana, a traditional Newari village in the Lalitpur District about eight kilometers south of Kathmandu, and Sanphebagar, a village development committee within Achham District in rural Far-Western Nepal. Study participants were recruited during health camps conducted by Nepal Fertility Care Center, a Nepali non-governmental organization. Experienced staff administered a Nepali language survey instrument that included questions on socio-demographics, reproductive health and knowledge on HPV, cervical cancer, and the HPV vaccine. Of the 749 participants, 387 (51.7%) were from Khokana and 362 (48.3%) were from Sanphebagar. Overall, 53.3% (n=372) of women were aware of cervical cancer with a significant difference between Khokana and Sanphebagar (63.3% vs 43.0%; p=0.001). Overall, 15.4% (n=107) of women had heard of HPV and 32% (n=34) of these women reported having heard of the HPV vaccine. If freely available, 77.5% of the women reported willingness to have their children vaccinated against HPV. Factors associated with cervical cancer awareness included knowledge of HPV (Khokana: Odds Ratio (OR)=24.5; (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 3.1-190.2, Sanphebagar: OR=14.8; 95% CI: 3.7-58.4)) and sexually transmitted infections (Khokana: OR=6.18; 95% CI: 3.1-12.4; Sanphebagar: OR=17.0; 95% CI: 7.3- 39.7) among other risk factors. Knowledge and awareness of HPV, cervical cancer, and the HPV vaccine remains low among women in Khokana and Sanphebagar. Acceptance of a freely available HPV vaccine for children was high, indicating potentially high uptake rates in these communities.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) includes oncogenic subtypes linked to the majority of head and neck and genitourinary cancer cases. Despite suggestions to boost HPV vaccine uptake by increasing HPV awareness, public understanding remains suboptimal. This is especially noted among cultural and ethnic minorities, with limited literature addressing this gap. This study evaluated awareness of HPV and HPV-associated cancers among Arab Americans. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between March and July 2023. Surveys were provided in both English and Arabic based on participants' preferences. Recruitment took place at various venues such as fairs, functions, and religious and cultural gatherings, targeting self-identifying Arab Americans residing in Michigan. Dependent variables included participants' awareness (yes/no/don’t know) of HPV, HPV vaccine, and HPV association with specific cancers (cervical, penile, anal, vulvar, vaginal, and oropharyngeal). Independent variables included age, gender, level of education, frequency of doctor and dentist visits in the past year, number of oral and vaginal sexual partners, and cigarette use. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey responses. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated the associations between HPV awareness and sociodemographic factors. Results: A total of 289 individuals were included in the study, of whom almost half (47%) were not aware of HPV and the HPV vaccine. Awareness of HPV association with specific cancers were as follows: 50.5% for cervical cancer, 48.4% for vaginal cancer, 42.4% for vulvar cancer, 41.5% for penile cancer, 38.9% for anal cancer, and 37.9% for mouth/throat cancer. In multivariable logistic regression models, compared to females, males were less likely to be aware of HPV vaccine (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.19 – 0.72); or of HPV association to cervical (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.19-0.73) and anal (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.26-0.94) cancers. Similarly, respondents who had lower education were less likely to be aware that HPV could cause cervical (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.14-0.69), anal (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.13-0.69), as well as mouth/throat (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.14-0.80) cancers compared to those with college degrees. Conclusions: Awareness of HPV, the vaccine and related cancers among Arab Americans are suboptimal. Being female or having a college education correlates with greater awareness of HPV and HPV-associated cancers. This underscores the necessity for targeted interventions to improve awareness among this population. Future interventions should focus on increasing knowledge of how HPV can cause several cancers and how those cancers could be prevented through HPV vaccination. Citation Format: Eric Adjei Boakye, Nada Al-Antary, Reem F Siddiqui, Marissa Gilbert, Lamis Fakhoury, Mrudula Nair, Milkie Vu, Farzan Siddiqui. Knowledge of HPV vaccination and HPV-associated cancers among Arab- Americans [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A109.