Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude Towards Human Papillomavirus Vaccine among Healthcare Professionals at Tertiary Care Hospitals Karachi: Knowledge Towards Human Papillomavirus Vaccine among Healthcare Professionals

Muhmooda Abdul Razzaque; Jahan Ara Hassan; Rubina Qasim; Madiha Saleem; Rukhsana Muhammad Haroon; Tanseer Ahmed

doi:10.54393/pbmj.v8i11.1311

Authors

Muhmooda Abdul Razzaque Centre of Graduate studies, Asia e University, Malaysia
Jahan Ara Hassan Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
Rubina Qasim Division of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Madiha Saleem Department of Nursing, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan
Rukhsana Muhammad Haroon Department of Nursing, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan
Tanseer Ahmed Division of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pbmj.v8i11.1311

Keywords:

Human Papillomavirus, Vaccine, Knowledge, Attitude, Healthcare Professionals

Abstract

One of the sexually transmitted infections is Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is the primary source of cancer morbidity and mortality in women, with 604,000 new infections and 342,000 deaths reported worldwide in 2020. Objectives: To determine the knowledge and attitude of healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the HPV vaccine in tertiary care hospitals. Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey in Dow University Hospital, Karachi, and Dr. Ruth K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi. All healthcare workers were included in the study (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and technicians). The data were interpreted into SPSS version 26.0. To do the descriptive analysis, the frequency, means, standard deviations, and percentages were computed. Knowledge and attitude categories were compared using a chi-square test to determine the relationship between demographic information of HCPs and knowledge and attitude. Results: 57.5% of the participants were able to give correct answers. The proportion of attitude of HCPs in response to the HPV vaccine was approximately 1/3 (32.3% agreed/strongly agreed), and almost one-half (46.4% of HCPs) of the HCPs formed a neutral attitude. Profession was statistically significantly associated with knowledge (χ² = 26.70, df = 6, p<0.001) and attitude categories (χ² = 22.90, df = 6, p<0.001) between HCPs. Conclusions: The knowledge and attitude of the healthcare professionals towards the HPV vaccine have been moderate, with a neutral attitude, which could reduce their willingness to recommend the vaccine, with consequences to the rate of patient vaccination and subsequent prevention of cervical cancer.

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