J Am Dent Assoc. 2024 Oct;155(10):871-880. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2024.07.016. Epub 2024 Sep 9.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) and COVID-19 are contagious diseases for which effective vaccines exist. Dental care professionals' involvement in vaccination campaigns for these conditions has been proposed, but there is a lack of understanding of dentists' roles in vaccination, specifically assessing patients' attitudes around dentists as vaccinators for HPV and COVID-19.
Using a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, a 12-item validated survey was distributed to community members to determine perceptions about dentists' roles in vaccination for HPV and COVID-19. Demographic characteristics, vaccination status, knowledge of the diseases, vaccination intentions, and willingness to receive education about, recommendations for, and administration of vaccine from a dentist were assessed. Responses were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate analysis.
Of 618 participants, most were vaccinated previously against HPV and COVID-19 (n = 462 [75.6%] and n = 371 [61.0%], respectively). Participants responded more favorably to dentist involvement in educating, discussing, and administering COVID-19 vaccines than HPV vaccines (P < .05). Participants' knowledge of HPV was found to be low compared with that of COVID-19. There were significant differences across demographic groups, with race most frequently associated with differences in responses to COVID-19 and HPV-related questions.
Formative data to develop interventions to support dentists' participation in vaccination campaigns are provided. Participants' acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination over HPV vaccination may reflect the public awareness of COVID-19 vs HPV due to daily relevance of this disease, or the lack of knowledge about HPV, particularly its oropharyngeal impacts.
The authors provide evidence to support dentists' involvement in vaccine education and distribution, expanding previous literature into evaluation of a new disease context (COVID-19). Lack of knowledge of HPV may affect willingness to receive the HPV vaccine, presenting an opportunity for education.
人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）和 COVID-19 都是具有有效疫苗的传染性疾病。有人提议让牙科保健专业人员参与这些疾病的疫苗接种活动，但人们对牙医在疫苗接种中的作用，特别是在评估患者对牙医作为 HPV 和 COVID-19 疫苗接种者的态度方面，了解甚少。
采用横断面设计和便利抽样法，向社区成员发放了一份包含 12 个项目的经验证的调查问卷，以确定他们对牙医在 HPV 和 COVID-19 疫苗接种中的作用的看法。评估了人口统计学特征、疫苗接种状况、对这些疾病的了解、疫苗接种意向以及接受牙医关于疫苗接种的教育、推荐和管理的意愿。使用双变量和多变量分析来分析结果。
在 618 名参与者中，大多数人以前接种过 HPV 和 COVID-19 疫苗（n=462[75.6%]和 n=371[61.0%]）。与 HPV 疫苗相比，参与者更支持牙医参与教育、讨论和管理 COVID-19 疫苗（P<.05）。与 COVID-19 相比，参与者对 HPV 的了解程度较低。在不同的人群中存在显著差异，种族是与 COVID-19 和 HPV 相关问题的回答差异最相关的因素。
提供了制定支持牙医参与疫苗接种活动的干预措施的基础数据。与 HPV 疫苗相比，参与者对 COVID-19 疫苗的接受程度可能反映了公众对 COVID-19 与 HPV 的认识，这是由于该疾病与日常生活的相关性，或者是由于对 HPV 的了解不足，特别是其口咽影响。
作者提供了支持牙医参与疫苗教育和分发的证据，将以前的文献扩展到评估新的疾病背景（COVID-19）。对 HPV 了解不足可能会影响接受 HPV 疫苗的意愿，为教育提供了机会。
