Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) is recognized to be a major cause of cervical malignancies and warts, little research has been undertaken on its related variables among Malaysian health care students and professionals. The purpose of this study was to investigate people’s knowledge, comprehension, attitude, perception, and beliefs concerning HPV infection and vaccination. Through convenience sampling, a total of 576 Malaysians were recruited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. About 80% of female respondents had a favorable attitude toward knowledge and comprehension, whereas 60% had a positive attitude about attitude, perception, and viewpoints. Almost 65% of the public agreed that HPV may be transmitted sexually, and 56.7% strongly agreed that sexually active people should be vaccinated. Among male responders, the comparable figures were somewhat lower. According to regression analysis, knowledge and comprehension were strongly related to gender, age, and occupation. Gender and age were clearly connected with attitude, perception, and views. The Ministry of Health should take initiatives to raise citizen awareness.
To boost the adoption rate of HPV vaccinations among the Malaysian population, efforts should be made to educate individuals on the risk of HPV as a sexually transmitted illness linked with HPV, as well as the availability of inexpensive and safe HPV vaccines in government facilities.
Reference:www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2018.1518843
