Knowledge and Awareness toward Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer among Health College Students in the Northern Region of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The Human Papillomavirus (HPVs), especially the high-risk HPVs, are firmly connected with cervical cancer. This research aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes toward cervical cancer and HPVs for scanning and prevention. A cross-sectional survey was performed among 434 Health College students in the Northern region of Saudi Arabia to obtain this information. In the present study, 402 students were encompassed in the final analysis. The results revealed that the estimated necessary knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer was 31.07%. The medical knowledge concerning the treatment of HPVs and cervical cancer was 30.98%. The pharmaceutical knowledge was 29.35%, wherein the knowledge about the HPV vaccine was only 8%. The most common barrier preventing the students from receiving the HPV vaccine was inadequate available information (22.13%). The present study showed an insufficient degree of understanding concerning HPV and cervical cancer among students of the Health College in the Northern region of Saudi Arabia. It is recommended that there is a requisite for educational involvement and awareness fights to increase HPV and Cervical Cancer essential knowledge awareness. It is also suggested that vaccines should be granted for mass scale practice and should be incorporated in the national immunization drive of the country for dropping the problem of cervical cancer.