Determination of Women's Belief Levels Regarding Human Papilloma Virus Infection and Vaccine and Hesitations towards Vaccination

Objective: To determine women's belief levels regarding Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection and vaccine and their hesitation towards the vaccine. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional research type. The sample of the study consisted of 504 women who met the inclusion criteria. The data was collected between 10.04.2023-10.07.2023 by face-to-face interview method. Introductory Information Form, Health Belief Model Scale for Human Papilloma Virus and its Vaccination, and Scale of Vaccine Hesitancy were used to collect data. Results: The average age of women is 34.82±7.857 and 57.2% do not want to get HPV vaccine for themselves, 56% for their daughters and 79.8% for their sons. None of the women had received HPV vaccination and 83.3% had not received information about HPV infection and vaccination before. Health belief scale model regarding HPV infection and vaccine benefit perception mean score is 7.12±2.330, susceptibility perception mean score is 12.76±2.499, seriousness perception mean score is 4.39±1.374 and obstacle perception mean score is 9.95±2.733. 'Stop. The total score average of the Scale of Vaccine Hesitancy is 32.03±7.598, the lack of confidence score average is 24.92±6.924, and the risks score average is 7.11±1.416. Conclusion: Women's knowledge levels about HPV infection and vaccination are low, their perception of susceptibility to health beliefs regarding HPV infection and vaccination is high, and their perception of benefits, seriousness and obstacles is low. Women's hesitations and lack of confidence in the HPV vaccine are at a moderate level, and the opinion that the vaccine has risks is at a high level.