Family Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Regarding the HPV Vaccine

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge level of family physicians regarding HPV vaccination and to identify the frequency of vaccine administration in the field.

Methods: The study was conducted with 336 family physicians working in Family Health Centers in İzmir between April and September 2022. A 23-item questionnaire was developed to assess the sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge levels of family physicians regarding HPV vaccination. This questionnaire was delivered to family physicians individually and in groups via WhatsApp through Google Forms.

Results: Among the participating family physicians, 50.9% were female. Only 7.7% of the physicians had received the vaccine themselves, while 72.9% were considering or had already vaccinated their children. It was determined that HPV vaccination was not performed or recommended due to its high cost. The vaccination rate for physicians aged 45 and above was significantly lower. When examining the answers to the questions assessing the knowledge level of family physicians about HPV vaccination, it was observed that a higher proportion of correct answers were given to three out of seven questions.

Conclusion: Our study revealed that the knowledge level of family physicians regarding HPV vaccination is not at the expected level. Particularly, young female physicians provided more accurate answers to the questions. It was determined that HPV vaccination was the least recommended among vaccines not included in the national vaccination program.