ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. Most sexually active women and men will be infected at some point in their lives. HPV infection can cause cervical cancer in women as well as other anogenital cancers, oropharyngeal cancer, and genital warts in men and women. Each year, more than 340,000 women die of cervical cancer and there were about 69,400 cases of cancer in men caused by HPV in 2018.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding HPV infection, associated cancers, vaccination and identify the reasons for HPV vaccination status among female secondary secondary students in Benin City, Edo State.
METHODOLOGY: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 300 female secondary school students in Federal Girls Government College in Egor Local Government Area (LGA), Benin City, Edo State. Egor is divided into ten (10) wards. Data was obtained using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. The sample size was calculated by using Cochran’s formula. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS version 25.0, and the level of significance was set as p < 0.05. Data presentation was done using frequency tables, and prose. Chi-square, Univariate and Bivariate analysis was done for data analysis.
RESULT: Out of 300 students who participated in this study, the mean age and SD was 13.0 ± 2.0. The majority had good knowledge, 73 (83.0%), and attitude 299 (99.7%) respectively, towards HPV infection and HPV vaccination; however, only 5 (12.8%) had good knowledge of HPV-associated cancers and 7 (41.2%) had good knowledge of HPV vaccine. Vaccine uptake was low, with 3 (1.0%) respondents reporting being vaccinated. Age and class of respondents were statistically significant associated HPV knowledge (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION: Overall knowledge of HPV was good, however knowledge and awareness was low among the female secondary students regarding HPV vaccine. Nearly all students had positive attitude towards HPV vaccine. Low vaccine uptake was revealed in the study.
KEYWORDS: HPV, Cervical cancer, HPV vaccine, Anal cancer, Vaccine uptake.
