Attitudes and perceptions towards HPV vaccination among young women in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background:Rising incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer can be reduced by effective vaccination. Saudi Food and Drug Administration approved prophylactic HPV vaccine in 2010 for females of 11–26 years.Objectives:To determine the awareness of HPV infection, its health sequel and the attitude and barriers to the acceptance of HPV vaccine by young women in Saudi Arabia. Dynamics influencing the decision of patients and parents regarding vaccination were assessed to foster effective and strategically focused interventions.Materials and Methods:All patients of Family Medicine department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh were invited to participate in this study from January 2012 to June 2014. A culturally sensitive and specially designed questionnaire was administered using an interview-based model to assess the knowledge, perception, and associated sociodemographic factors of HPV.Results:A total of 325 patients participated as per the inclusion criteria: 87.4% were Saudis, 53.5% had university or higher education and 65.2% were adolescents (age 11-19 years). The questionnaire was answered by participants (50.8%) or guardians (49.2%). About 34.5% of the population was aware of HPV infection, and 27.4% were aware of its relation with cervical cancer. However, awareness of the HPV vaccine, perception of its prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related disease was relatively low (32.3%), Saudis (29.9%) versus non-Saudis (48.8%) (P = 0.016). More guardians (41.2%) were aware of the HPV vaccine and its impact than participants (27.9%) (P = 0.01). Higher educational background (43.1%) increased the knowledge of HPV compared to less than high school education (24.5%) (odds ratio: 2.33; 95% confidence interval: 1.44–3.76). Nearly 64.3% of participants agreed, and 35.7% refused to receive the HPV vaccine.Conclusion:Knowledge and perception of HPV infection as an sexually transmitted infections and its vaccine was significantly low in this cohort of patients. Higher age and educational levels directly correlated with increased knowledge of HPV infection and its complications. It is recommended that awareness should be raised, and access to HPV vaccination increased to help reduce the health care burden of HPV sequelae in the Kingdom.

Knowledge towards human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and attitude towards its vaccine in the Kingdom of Bahrain: cross-sectional study

“…The same was reported in a previous local study where, despite never having heard about HPV, most women (91.3%) were willing to receive the vaccine 8. Similarly, more than half of Saudi female residents (64%) were found to be receptive of the vaccine in spite of low awareness of the virus 17. This is consistent with the findings of several other regional studies globally 16 25 26 30.…”

“…A prior local survey done in 2011 reflected a higher, but still low, level of recognition of HPV (31.3%) among women 8. Regional studies conducted in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi also reported similar figures (34.5% and 29%, respectively) 14 17. Comparatively, the higher level of knowledge noted in these studies could be due to the use of convenient sampling and inclusion of women only, and, in the case of the UAE, inclusion of the vaccine in the national immunisation schedule since 2008 could also explain the relatively higher level of knowledge about HPV in the country.…”

“…Literature published in the region has shown low levels of public knowledge about HPV and its health associations. However, most studies indicated that people by in large are in favour of using the vaccine 8 14 16 17. The positive attitude towards vaccination in some studies was observed to be driven by the fear of contracting HPV infection, cervical cancer and genital warts 18 19.…”

Acceptance for Human Papilloma virus vaccines, experience at tertiary care centre of northern india: a hospital-based survey

“…11 In a study conducted by Hussain AN et al, Muslim students had very less knowledge on HPV infection and its relation to cervical cancer as compared to Hindu students. 12 In present study nearly half of the cases were graduate (50.3%), followed by cases who were intermediate or below (18.5%), post graduate (14.6%), high school (9.6%) and primary (7%). Though there was no statistically significant effect of education on acceptability, a trend of higher acceptability was seen in lower educated cases.…”

Indonesia's Readiness to Implement the HPV Vaccine Mandatory for School Age

“…14 Another research conducted by Hussain found that, although the proportion of participants who had prior knowledge of HPV vaccine was low, the majority of participants consented to initiate the HPV vaccine series. 15 This was predominantly the result of their physician's encouragement and the free availability of vaccine. Therefore, the health care providers are a quintessential source of education and advocates of this relatively new vaccine.…”