Awareness on human papilloma virus vaccine among medical students in rural area

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer, with an estimated 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020, is the fourth most common cancer among women globally. Low- and middle-income countries accounted for 90% of the new cases and deaths worldwide in 2020. Cervical cancer in females can be prevented to a great extent by vaccination. Implementation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is still facing challenges, but it has the potential to address the challenges of cervical cancer screening in India. Implementation of HPV vaccination faces barriers of acceptance and lack of awareness, along with a high vaccine cost. Aims and Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practise of the HPV vaccine among 1st and 2nd year medical students in a rural medical college. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 study subjects using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. The results were expressed in descriptive statistics like proportions and percentages. Results: 94% of the students were aware that cervical cancer is preventable, whereas 87% of them knew that cervical cancer can be prevented by a vaccine. 84% of the students had the knowledge that HPV vaccine is available in India. The maximum number of students were unvaccinated (92%), whereas 67% were ready to take the HPV vaccine in the future. Conclusion: Sensitization regarding the importance of the HPV vaccine to the general public can be achieved only when health care professionals are adequately aware of the safety and efficacy of the HPV vaccine. The first step in this direction is to educate the students who will form the backbone of our health care system in the future.