Impact of a health education session on the knowledge of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (HPV) among the school teachers

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide and the most common cancer cause of death in developing countries. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine is crucial in reducing its incidence. Unfortunately, there is limited awareness about the availability of the HPV vaccine in India. Method: Knowledge about HPV was assessed among the school teachers by using a questionnaire about HPV and HPV vaccine. Following a health education session on HPV and its vaccination using a PowerPoint presentation, their knowledge was reassessed. Results: A total of 155 teachers participated in the research (152 female, 3 male) from 5 schools. A significant negative association (r = -0.186) (p<0.05) between the age and pre-test score of the participants was noted. The mean of pre intervention score (7.03 ± 3.35) was less than the mean of post intervention score (12.64 ± 2.41). Paired t-Test was performed and the difference was found to be statistically highly significant (p<0.01). Conclusion: The pre-test results revealed a clear gap in knowledge about the HPV vaccine among school teachers. However, the substantial increase in understanding following the session highlighted the effectiveness of basic educational interventions in closing their knowledge gap regarding vaccination.