Determination of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of medical students about Human Papilloma Virus and vaccine

Objective: Since the recommendation of doctors plays a significant role in increasing vaccination rates in society, our study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of medical faculty students regarding HPV infection and vaccine, and to increase awareness. Material and Method: The study was conducted on medical faculty students studying at Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine during the 2023 academic year. The study was carried out between June 2023 and November 2023. This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A survey was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the participants regarding HPV infection and vaccine. Results: Of the 328 students participating in the study, 47.9% were female and 52.1% were male, with ages ranging from 17 to 34. While 42.4% of the students found their knowledge level sufficient about HPV infection, 31.1% found their knowledge level sufficient about HPV vaccine. 8.8% of the participants stated that they had received one of the HPV vaccines, and 81.1% stated that they would recommend one of the HPV vaccines to their relatives. Knowledge level scores regarding HPV infection and vaccine were found to be similar according to gender and marital status (p>0.05). Students' knowledge level scores about HPV infection and vaccine in the last three grades were found to be significantly higher than those in the first three grades (p<0.05). 64.6% of the participants stated that they would pay for and receive the HPV vaccine, while 76.8% stated that they would receive it if covered by social security. Conclusion: There is insufficient knowledge about HPV infection and vaccine among medical faculty students. The rate of HPV vaccination among students is also low. It is thought that the vaccination rate will increase if the HPV vaccine is added to the national immunization program. Keywords: HPV, HPV Vaccine, Student, Knowledge, Attitude