Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

HPV Vaccine Knowledge and Hesitancy among Health College Students at a Saudi University

Esraa Aldawood
* ORCID logo ,
Deemah Dabbagh
,
Sarah Alharabi
,
Lama Alzamil
,
Layla Faqih
,
Hassan H. Alshurafa
,
Rufaidah Dabbagh
ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 5 June 2023 / Approved: 5 June 2023 / Online: 5 June 2023 (16:12:21 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Aldawood, E.; Dabbagh, D.; Alharbi, S.; Alzamil, L.; Faqih, L.; Alshurafa, H.; Dabbagh, R. HPV Vaccine Knowledge and Hesitancy Among Health Colleges’ Students at a Saudi University. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2023, Volume 16, 3465–3476, doi:10.2147/jmdh.s438633. Aldawood, E.; Dabbagh, D.; Alharbi, S.; Alzamil, L.; Faqih, L.; Alshurafa, H.; Dabbagh, R. HPV Vaccine Knowledge and Hesitancy Among Health Colleges’ Students at a Saudi University. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2023, Volume 16, 3465–3476, doi:10.2147/jmdh.s438633.

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a widespread sexually transmitted infection linked to various types of cancers. Although vaccination against HPV is available, global HPV vaccination rates remain low. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness and knowledge of the HPV vaccine and to identify predictors associated with vaccine hesitancy among health college students in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to students enrolled in health colleges. The association of vaccine hesitancy with sociodemographic characteristics was examined using logistic regression analysis. The study found that approximately half of the students (49.9%) were aware of the HPV vaccine. Students from the College of Medicine showed the highest level of knowledge. Only a small proportion (5.2%) reported receiving the vaccine. The overall HPV vaccine hesitancy was 59.1% (43.9% for women and 75.9% for men). The most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy was not knowing enough about it. Men were twice as likely as women to believe that they did not need the HPV vaccine. The odds for HPV vaccine hesitancy were greater among men and younger age group compared to women and older age group. In conclusion, the study underscores the importance of awareness campaigns on HPV vaccination, targeting primarily male students.

Keywords

HPV vaccine; Vaccine awareness; Vaccine hesitancy

Subject

Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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