Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Medical Faculty Students about HPV and HPV Vaccine

Abstract

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of medical school students about HPV and HPV vaccine.

Methods: This study comprised of 1238 Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine students who were enrolled in 2021–2022. Sociodemographic Information Form, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Knowledge Scale and Questionnaire for Evaluation of Knowledge Levels and Attitudes were applied by face-to-face interview method

Results: This study was prepared with 1238 students, 53.2% of whom were women (n=659) and 46.8% were men (n=579). The participation rates of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6th year students in our study were 93,0%, 87,4%, 85,2%, 85,1%, 90,4% and 86,2%, respectively, and the total participation rates were 87,8%. While 81% of the students stated that they had heard of HPV before, 60.7% of them about the HPV test and 68.2% of them about the HPV vaccine, this frequency was higher in women (p<0.05). HPV Knowledge Scale and subscale scores were found to be significantly lower in the 1st and 2nd grades compared to other grades (p<0.001). As the level of education increased, the average knowledge score increased.

Conclusion: It was observed that the level of knowledge about HPV infection and vaccine of medical school students, who are doctors of the future, was higher in students who were in their clinical years compared to preclinical students.