The Saudi Population's Knowledge and Attitude Towards Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection and Its Vaccination.

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major worldwide public health concern that can result in a range of clinical disorders, including cervical cancer. Saudi Arabia, similar to numerous other nations, has difficulties in facing HPV and its impact on society. The high incidence of cervical cancer in Saudi Arabia continues to be a cause for worry, highlighting the need for the adoption of efficient immunization programs. Nevertheless, public hesitation and inadequate knowledge can hinder the acceptance of vaccines. Evaluating public knowledge and attitudes concerning HPV and its vaccination is essential in order to create focused programs that enhance awareness and increase vaccine acceptance.

METHODS

This study was cross-sectional in nature, using data from a sample of 516 Saudi participants 18 years and above. The participants completed online questionnaires that were distributed using Google Forms across social media platforms and ensured anonymity.

RESULTS

A total of 516 participants made up the sample for this study, which had a predominance of females (83.5%, n=431); the majority aged 18-25 years (78.3%, n=404) and most of them (28.3%, n=146) were from the central region. The study results revealed that 43.7% (n=225) of the participants had a good knowledge level while 56.3% (n=291) of them had a poor level of knowledge about the HPV vaccine. A substantial proportion (35.9%, n=185) of the participants had good knowledge that HPV can be transmitted sexually from one person to another with only 30.2% (n=156) of them being aware that HPV is a common infection that causes cervical cancer (41.5%, n=214) and most of them (76.2%, n=393) knew that cervical cancer can be cured particularly when detected in early stages. The results established statistically significant associations between gender, education level, and occupation with p-values <0.005 (0.023, 0.003 and 0.001 respectively) and level of knowledge about the HPV vaccine.

CONCLUSION

The study emphasizes the necessity of implementing focused health education and vaccination initiatives in Saudi Arabia to enhance understanding and attitudes regarding HPV infection and its vaccine. The results can provide guidance to healthcare professionals, legislators, and public health authorities in creating programs that increase knowledge and acceptance of the HPV vaccine, ultimately decreasing the prevalence of HPV-related diseases in the nation.