Study on Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Related to HPV Vaccination among Healthcare Workers

In India, cervical cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in women.The World Health Organization (WHO) has set ambitious goals known as the 90-70-90 targets to eliminate cervical cancer: achieving 90% HPV vaccination coverage, ensuring 70% of eligible women undergo screening twice their lifetime, and providing treatment for 90% of women diagnosed with invasive and preinvasive cancer.This study aims to assess awareness levels, evaluate knowledge, and explore current practices regarding HPV vaccination.This cross-sectional study employed an exploratory questionnaire-based survey among 200 healthcare workers at Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital.There is a significant association (p = 0.002) between the type of healthcare worker [clinical (90%) vs. non-clinical (70%)] and their awareness of HPV vaccination.Clinical workers (85%) exhibit a significantly higher positive attitude(p<0.01)compared to non-clinical workers (60%).The chisquare analysis indicates a significant difference (p<0.001) in the practice of regularly recommending or administering HPV vaccination between clinical (70%) and non-clinical (30%) healthcare workers.There is a significant association (p < 0.001) between Clinical workers who are likely to possess high knowledge (70%) about HPV and its vaccination compared to non-clinical workers, who predominantly fall into the moderate (52%) or low knowledge (48%) categories.The findings underscore significant knowledge gaps, emphasizing the need for improved counselling on HPV vaccination targets.