A Cross-Sectional Observational Study Analyzing the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Young Female Nursing Officers and Female Doctors About the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

TL;DR

This study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of young female healthcare workers in India regarding cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine.

Contribution

The study provides insights into the KAP of young female doctors and nursing officers in India, highlighting gaps in HPV vaccine uptake and practice.

Findings

85.5% of doctors and 70.2% of nursing officers demonstrated good knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer.

Only 31.3% of participants had good practice scores regarding HPV vaccine recommendations.

Higher education levels correlated with better knowledge and more positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination.

Abstract

Background

Cervical cancer (CC) is the second most common cancer among Indian women and is caused by a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. To achieve its global commitment to the elimination of CC, India is planning to include the HPV vaccine in its national immunization program. The success of the prevention of CC mostly depends on the level of awareness and knowledge among healthcare providers about different aspects of the disease and the vaccine. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding CC, HPV, and the HPV vaccine in first-contact young female doctors and nursing officers.

Methodology

This cross-sectional study was conducted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani, between February and June 2024 among young female health workers aged between 20 and 35 years. To evaluate KAP we used a validated, self-administered questionnaire.

Results

There were a total of 204 participants, whose median age was 26 (interquartile range = 25 to 29) years; among them, 114 (55.9%) were nursing officers and 90 (44.1%) were junior doctors. Good knowledge was found among 85.5% of doctors and 70.2% of nursing officers (p < 0.01). A positive attitude was found in 81.1% of doctors and 67.5% of nursing officers (p < 0.01). The overall good practice score was low (31.3%). A higher level of education was associated with good knowledge (β = -1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.76, -0.55, p < 0.01) and positive attitude (β = -0.53, 95% CI = -0.9, 0.16, p = 0.005) toward HPV, CC, and the HPV vaccine.

Conclusions

Our cohort showed good knowledge and attitude toward CC, HPV, and the HPV vaccine, but poor HPV vaccine uptake and practice. Therefore, health education programs focused on increasing awareness and uplifting confidence are needed to accept and recommend the HPV vaccine in developing countries like India.