Awareness and Knowledge of Medical, Nursing and Midwifery Students About Human Papillomavirus Infection and its Vaccine in Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in ۲۰۲۰

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmissible infection, which has a key role in the development of cervical cancer. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of awareness/knowledge among medical, nursing and midwifery students about HPV infection and its vaccine in Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (AJUMS) in ۲۰۲۰. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on ۱۸۱ medical, nursing and midwifery students who were selected based on convenience sampling. Students' awareness/knowledge were assessed through a validated questionnaire consisted of ۱۵ correct and incorrect questions with a score range of ۰-۱۵. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and logistic regression by SPSS-۱۸. Results: The mean (SD) of age of the participants was ۲۵.۴ (۱.۸۴) years, and the majority of them were female (۶۰.۲%) and single (۷۹.۶%). Overall, the students' awareness/knowledge score about HPV was ۶۶.۹۲ (۲۲.۸) (out of ۱۰۰). The mean (SD) of awareness/knowledge of female students was higher than male students ۶۸.۸ (۱۸.۵) vs ۶۴.۱ (۲۸.۱), but there was no statistically significant (p=۰.۲۱۰). The awareness/knowledge among the medical students was significantly higher than that of the nursing and midwifery students (t۱۷۹=۷.۱۷, p˂۰.۰۰۱). Significant odds ratio (OR) for predictors to good awareness/knowledge were higher age (OR=۰.۷۶, p = ۰.۰۲۳), higher grade point average (OR=۱.۴۹, p=۰.۰۳۰), and medical students' group (OR=۱۷.۳۱, p˂۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: Although the awareness/knowledge of students in this study was above average, which highlights the need for education measures to improve awareness/knowledge of students regarding HPV, since they will be future health care providers in society.

Keywords:

human papilloma virus , cervical cancer , papillomavirus vaccines , awareness , knowledge , medicine , nursing , midwifery , students