Evaluation of family physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HPV infection and vaccines in family health centers in Turkey

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: HPV infection is a globally prevalent sexually transmitted disease and a significant public health issue, particularly due to its potential to cause cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of family physicians working in family health centers regarding HPV infection and its vaccines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 1013 family physicians throughout Turkey between September 20-27, 2024. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, ANOVA and Chi-square tests were used in SPSS 28.0 program. RESULTS: The average age of the participants was 44,3±9,3 years and 57,7% were male. Regarding knowledge about HPV infection and vaccines, 60% of participants reported having knowledge, while 20,2% considered this knowledge sufficient. The knowledge levels of those who had undergone gynecology and obstetrics rotation (p=0.013), those who had undergone pediatrics rotation (p=0.009) or those who had received training on HPV infection and vaccines after graduation (p=0.000) were found to be significantly higher. The primary reasons for not recommending the HPV vaccine included its high cost (49,2%) and its exclusion from the national immunization program (45,5%). Furthermore, 84,9% of the participants believed that the HPV vaccine should be included in the national immunization program. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that family physicians generally have a moderate level of awareness regarding HPV infection and vaccines. The lower knowledge levels among physicians working in rural areas highlight the need to enhance education and awareness initiatives in these regions. The reasons for not recommending the HPV vaccine included its cost, lack of knowledge, exclusion from the national immunization program, and insufficient time for patient communication. The findings emphasize the necessity of developing standardized and widespread training programs for family physicians on HPV infection and vaccines.