AWARENESS ABOUT HPV: A CALL TO IMPROVE MEDICAL EDUCATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGNS TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS

Abstract

Dear Editor, I am writing this letter to express my opinion about the article "Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs about HPV Infection and HPV Vaccines in Romanian Medical Students", published în the Roum Arch Microbiol Immunol., 2021;80(1):22-35 [1]. The study reveals the alarming lack of awareness and understanding about HPV infection and vaccination among some of the future medical professionals in Romania, which has significant consequences for public health and the overall preparedness of the medical system in Romania. The questionnaire, involving more than 1000 medical students from the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, has revealed the lack of change in perception, knowledge, and action among the students regarding HPV over the years 2016 to 2018. It would be a good idea, if it is possible, to make statistics with a larger range (to include students from other medical universities across Romania for example) to see if the percentages are similar and to get a more precise idea of the awareness of other future medical specialists throughout Romania. It would be even better if such a study is conducted in other Eastern European countries like Bulgaria, for example, since in recent years there has been a decreased mortality rate of cervical cancer in Western and Central European countries, but increasing in Eastern European ones. Statistically speaking, every day a woman dies in Bulgaria as a result of cervical cancer, and 43 women are diagnosed with the disease every day. According to the World Health Organization and the Bulgarian Ministry of Health, only 3% of the population has been vaccinated against HPV in Bulgaria. A similar study from another country would help the data obtained to be compared which in turn might help health specialists/ organisations to compare and discuss the different methods/ideas that are applied in the respective countries.