Dataset Information

Knowledge and perceptions regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and willingness to receive HPV vaccination among university students in a north-eastern city in Turkey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

For a HPV vaccination program to be successful, it is important that the target population has sufficient knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccines. The aim of this study was to evaluate HPV-related knowledge levels among students at a university in northern Turkey, to assess vaccination willingness, and to determine factors associated with HPV-related knowledge.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 824 (93.1%) students studying at 16 different faculties. The study population was identified through the proportional stratified sampling method. Data were collected through a questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics and the HPV Knowledge Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify factors that may be associated with knowledge scores.

Results

43.6% of the students had never heard of HPV, 50.6% of them had never heard of HPV screening tests or HPV vaccination. Only 2.7% of the students were vaccinated against HPV and 15.7% were willing to receive HPV vaccination. Awareness of HPV and willingness to receive vaccination were found to be higher among women, while previous experience with sexual intercourse was higher in men (p < 0.05). The mean HPV knowledge score was quite low (6.74 ± 7.13 out of 29 points). The studying in a field related to health sciences, being a senior student, intending to be vaccinated, being a woman, having had sex were found to be associated with high knowledge levels (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Educational programmes should be developed to increase university students' knowledge about HPV and the HPV vaccine.

SUBMITTER: Varer Akpinar C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10243033 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Knowledge and perceptions regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and willingness to receive HPV vaccination among university students in a north-eastern city in Turkey.

Varer Akpinar Ceren C Alanya Tosun Sebnem S

BMC women's health 20230606 1

<h4>Background</h4>For a HPV vaccination program to be successful, it is important that the target population has sufficient knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccines. The aim of this study was to evaluate HPV-related knowledge levels among students at a university in northern Turkey, to assess vaccination willingness, and to determine factors associated with HPV-related knowledge.<h4>Methods</h4>This cross-sectional study was conducted on 824 (93.1%) students studying at 16 different faculties. The ...[more]

PMID: 37280608

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Project description:BackgroundHPV infection causes cervical cancer, a major contributor to morbidity and mortality among low-income Mexican women. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing is now a primary screening strategy in Mexico's early cervical cancer detection program (ECDP). Research on Mexican women's perceptions of HPV and testing is necessary for establishing culturally appropriate protocols and educational materials. Here, we explore perceptions about HPV and HPV-related risk factors among low-income Mexican ECDP participants.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 ECDP participants from two primary care health clinics in Michoacán state, Mexico. Interviews addressed women's understandings of and experiences with HPV and HPV testing. Analysis was inductive and guided by the Health Belief Model with a focus on gender.ResultsWomen's confusion about HPV and HPV screening caused emotional distress. They understood HPV to be a serious disease that would always cause severe symptoms, often characterizing it as analogous to HIV or inevitably carcinogenic. Women also attributed it to men's sexual behaviors, specifically infidelity and poor hygiene. Women described both sexes' desire for sex as natural but understood men's negative practices of masculinity, like infidelity, as the causes of women's HPV infection. Some women believed dirty public bathrooms or heredity could also cause HPV transmission.ConclusionsThese results are consistent with prior findings that geographically and economically diverse populations lack clear understandings of the nature, causes, or symptoms of HPV, even among those receiving HPV testing. Our findings also reveal that local cultural discourse relating to masculinity, along with failure to provide sufficient education to low-income and indigenous-language speaking patients, exacerbate women's negative emotions surrounding HPV testing. While negative emotions did not deter women from seeking testing, they could be ameliorated with better health education and communication.

Dataset Information

Knowledge and perceptions regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and willingness to receive HPV vaccination among university students in a north-eastern city in Turkey.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Knowledge and perceptions regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and willingness to receive HPV vaccination among university students in a north-eastern city in Turkey.

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