Knowledge and Awareness of Human Papillomavirus Infection and Vaccination in Thai Male Youth, Including Men Who Have Sex With Men

Abstract

OBJECTIVE There is currently a lack of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination policy and education for male youth in Thailand. This study aimed to evaluate Thai male youth’s knowledge and awareness of HPV infection and vaccination, determine their HPV vaccination rate, and factors related to the vaccination rate and the level of awareness of HPV. METHODS A questionnaire survey on HPV vaccination was distributed to educational institutions across different regions of Thailand. Inclusion criteria included Thai male youth aged between 15 and 24 years, regardless of sexual orientation. Exclusion criteria were inability to access the internet, individuals whose responses were unintelligible, and those who did not complete the questionnaire. The trends of the association between participant characteristics and their HPV knowledge/awareness scores was analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS A total of 594 individuals responded to the questionnaire. The median score for knowledge was 11 out of 18 and the awareness level was 80%. Higher education level, higher family income, bisexuality, and prior receipt of HPV information were statistically significantly linked to higher HPV knowledge scores. However, only previous receipt of HPV information was associated with an increased awareness level. CONCLUSIONS Although the level of HPV knowledge and awareness among Thai males was acceptable, less than 50% of participants expressed an intention to get vaccinated. This indicates there is a need to improve the promotion of the HPV vaccine in order to achieve herd immunity.