College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
J Infect Public Health. 2024 Oct;17(10):102525. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.102525. Epub 2024 Aug 28.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and Pap tests are recognized as effective preventive measures to reduce the incidence of HPV-related diseases among young adults. The objective of this study was to assess HPV vaccination and Pap test uptake, awareness, and barriers among young adults in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2024, involving 831 young adults aged 18-39 residing in GCC countries. The main outcome measures were HPV vaccination and Pap test uptake rates, awareness of the HPV vaccine and Pap testing, and barriers to vaccination. Data were collected using online platforms. The Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used for data analysis.
The UAE had the highest vaccination rate at 18.9% (50/264), followed by Qatar at 5.8% (6/104), and KSA at 4.6% (10/216), p < 0.001. Individuals with health insurance had higher vaccination rates than those without (11% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.006). Awareness of the HPV vaccine was highest in the UAE (49.6%) and KSA (58.8%), while awareness of Pap smear testing among females was similarly high in these countries (62.4% and 65.9%, respectively). However, actual Pap smear testing rates were highest in Bahrain (15.9%) and Qatar (13.4%). The main barriers to vaccination cited by participants were lack of knowledge (53.6%) and the absence of medical recommendations (13.2%).
The study's findings suggest the need of targeted educational campaigns to increase HPV vaccine uptake among both genders and Pap test participation among females. Additionally, incorporating HPV screening and vaccination into routine national programs in GCC countries and emphasising the crucial role of healthcare providers in influencing vaccination decisions are recommended strategies.
人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）疫苗接种和巴氏涂片检查被认为是有效预防措施，可以降低年轻人中 HPV 相关疾病的发病率。本研究的目的是评估海湾合作委员会（GCC）国家（包括巴林、科威特、阿曼、卡塔尔、沙特阿拉伯王国和阿拉伯联合酋长国）年轻成年人 HPV 疫苗接种和巴氏涂片检查的接种率、知晓率和障碍。
2024 年 1 月至 4 月期间，进行了一项比较性横断面研究，涉及居住在 GCC 国家的 18-39 岁的 831 名年轻人。主要结局指标为 HPV 疫苗接种和巴氏涂片检查的接种率、对 HPV 疫苗和巴氏涂片检查的知晓率，以及疫苗接种的障碍。使用在线平台收集数据。采用卡方检验和 Fisher 确切检验进行数据分析。
阿联酋的疫苗接种率最高，为 18.9%（50/264），其次是卡塔尔的 5.8%（6/104），沙特阿拉伯的 4.6%（10/216），p<0.001。有健康保险的人比没有健康保险的人接种疫苗的比例更高（11%比 5.4%，p=0.006）。阿联酋（49.6%）和沙特阿拉伯（58.8%）对 HPV 疫苗的知晓率最高，而这些国家的女性对巴氏涂片检查的知晓率相似（分别为 62.4%和 65.9%）。然而，巴氏涂片检查的实际率在巴林（15.9%）和卡塔尔（13.4%）最高。参与者提到的疫苗接种的主要障碍是缺乏知识（53.6%）和缺乏医疗建议（13.2%）。
研究结果表明，需要开展有针对性的教育宣传活动，以提高两性的 HPV 疫苗接种率和女性的巴氏涂片检查参与率。此外，建议将 HPV 筛查和疫苗接种纳入 GCC 国家的国家常规方案，并强调医疗保健提供者在影响疫苗接种决策方面的关键作用。
