Knowledge and attitude towards human papillomavirus and its vaccination and affecting factors among nursing and medical students: a questionnaire study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), HPV testing and HPV vaccinations and affecting factors among nursing and medical students and explore their attitudes regarding HPV vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 635 undergraduate nursing and medical students from March to June 2020 at a state university in Turkey. The data were collected using the Questionnaire Form and HPV Knowledge Scale (HPV-KS). The HPV-KS mean scores of the students were 17.07 ± 6.95. The students were aged 26 and over, females, had good economic status, registered at the faculty of medicine, at higher year of studies, had sexual experience and recommended HPV vaccination got higher knowledge scores regarding HPV, HPV testing and HPV vaccination (p ˂ .05). Despite low vaccination rate (2.0%), almost all the students recommended the HPV vaccine (95.9%). Sex, place of residence, faculty (departments), and year of study are among the significant predictor of knowledge about HPV, HPV testing and HPV vaccinations level up to 39% (p ˂ .05). This study highlights the need for further education and training are required to increase the knowledge about HPV, HPV testing and HPV vaccination, which may help increase awareness and improve the ratio of vaccination. IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases and most likely to cause cervical cancer. Prophylactic vaccine administrations is critical in primary protection from HPV. What the results of this study add? The study revealed the needs for education among nursing and medical students about HPV, HPV testing and HPV vaccines. Knowledge regarding HPV, HPV testing and HPV vaccines is statistically significantly associated with age, sex, economic status, place of residence, faculty, year of study, sexual experience and recommending HPV vaccines. Sex, place of residence, faculty, and year of study are among the statistically significant positive predictors for HPV knowledge. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Educators should increase education and/or training opportunities related to HPV among nursing and medical students who are the future healthcare providers and in the risky group for HPV during undergraduate education.