Dany Mohammed, Chidiac Alissar, Nassar Anwar H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon; College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Vaccine. 2015 Feb 18;33(8):1001-7. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.01.009. Epub 2015 Jan 15.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a common cause for genital warts and cervical cancer. Developing countries in the Middle East such as Lebanon are traditionally considered to be conservative societies with low incidence of sexually transmitted infections. However, nowadays, there is an unexpected increase in the incidence of HPV infections among Middle Eastern females. Thus, the objective of this study is to assess the behavioral perceptions of HPV vaccination among female students attending an academic institution in Lebanon. This cross-sectional study invited 512 students to complete a self-administered questionnaire that assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and intentions towards HPV vaccination. Data analysis included the calculation of knowledge scores ranging from 0 to 100, attitude scores ranging from most positive (1) to most negative (5), and intention scores ranging from lowest intention (0) to highest intention (10). With a response rate of n=215 (42%), 36.5% never heard of the vaccine before, and only 16.5% were already HPV vaccinated. The median knowledge score of 52.7% ± 1.71 reflects poor to moderate knowledge. Still, the median attitude score of 2.47 ± 0.05 shows a general positive attitude towards HPV vaccination where most of the participants agreed that female college students in Lebanon have a good chance of contracting HPV (62.1%) and that all gynecologists should recommend the vaccine (76.0%). Students in graduate programs, health related majors, and those who are vaccinated had significantly higher knowledge scores compared with students in undergraduate programs, non-health related majors, and HPV non-vaccinated students, respectively. Finally, the survey helped in increasing the intention to obtain HPV vaccine as the intention score increased significantly from 5.24 ± 0.27 before the students went through the survey to 6.98 ± 0.22 after the students completed the survey. Our study highlights the importance of offering guidance to female college students about HPV and its vaccination in developing countries where the incidence of sexually transmitted infections is on the rise.
人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）感染是尖锐湿疣和宫颈癌的常见病因。中东地区的发展中国家，如黎巴嫩，传统上被认为是保守型社会，性传播感染发病率较低。然而，如今中东地区女性的HPV感染发病率却意外上升。因此，本研究的目的是评估黎巴嫩一所学术机构的女学生对HPV疫苗接种的行为认知。这项横断面研究邀请了512名学生完成一份自我管理的问卷，该问卷评估了她们对HPV疫苗接种的知识、态度和意愿。数据分析包括计算知识得分（范围为0至100）、态度得分（范围为最积极（1）至最消极（5））和意愿得分（范围为最低意愿（0）至最高意愿（10））。在n = 215名（42%）的应答者中，36.5%的人之前从未听说过该疫苗，只有16.5%的人已经接种了HPV疫苗。52.7% ± 1.71的中位数知识得分反映出知识水平较差到中等。尽管如此，2.47 ± 0.05的中位数态度得分显示出对HPV疫苗接种总体持积极态度，大多数参与者同意黎巴嫩的女大学生感染HPV的可能性很大（62.1%），并且所有妇科医生都应该推荐该疫苗（76.0%）。与本科项目的学生、非健康相关专业的学生以及未接种HPV疫苗的学生相比，研究生项目的学生、健康相关专业的学生以及已接种疫苗的学生的知识得分显著更高。最后，该调查有助于提高接种HPV疫苗的意愿，因为意愿得分从学生进行调查前的5.24 ± 0.27显著提高到学生完成调查后的6.98 ± 0.22。我们的研究强调了在性传播感染发病率不断上升的发展中国家，为女大学生提供关于HPV及其疫苗接种指导的重要性。
