Awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus vaccine among young adults in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an infectious disease transmitted sexually. It is the direct cause of cervical cancer, and it incriminates in oropharyngeal, anal, and genital cancers. Vaccination is the main control measure to exclude infection. Awareness and knowledge regarding HPV in Saudi Arabia still need improvement. Vaccination acceptance suffers from some hesitancy. This systematic review aimed to assess awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine among young adults (18–30 years) and evaluate obstacles that prevent vaccination. Methods: According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses principles, a systematic search strategy was constructed through PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search involved studies published between January 2020 and June 2025. Cross-sectional and quantitative studies that evaluate HPV and HPV vaccine among young adults (18–30) in Saudi Arabia were included. After completion of data extraction, selected studies were qualified to determine the level of bias. Results: Ten studies achieved the eligibility criteria; they showed a variable degree of awareness (43–59.6%) with sample sizes ranging from 114–580 respondents. A knowledge shortage regarding high-risk genotypes of HPV, modes of transmission, and vaccination was observed among medical students and the public. Barriers toward vaccination varied between lack of awareness, ignorance about the eligibility of the age of vaccination, and issues related to culture, with a noticeably higher degree of awareness among females than among males. Conclusion: Enhancement of education programs is needed; future investigations should be directed to improve the educational campaigns to promote public awareness of HPV. The development of the medical curriculum is a necessity.