Medical students’ knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV vaccine and head and neck cancer

ABSTRACT

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that significantly affects the population worldwide. HPV preventive methods include vaccination, prophylactics, and education. Different types of cancers associated with HPV usually take years or decades to develop after infections, such as Head and Neck Cancer(HNC). Therefore, HPV prevention can be considered cancer prevention. A sample of medical students in Puerto Rico was evaluated to assess their knowledge about HPV, HPV vaccine, and HNC through two previously validated online questionnaires composed of 38 dichotomized questions, we measured HPV, HPV vaccination(HPVK), and HNC knowledge (HNCK). Out of 104 students surveyed, the mean HPVK score obtained was 20.07/26, SD = 3.86, while the mean score for HNCK was 6.37/12, SD = 1.78. Bidirectional stepwise regression showed study year and HPV Vaccine name had been the most influential variables on HPVK and HNCK. MS1 participants scored lower than MS2-MS4 participants, with no significant difference between MS2-MS4 scores. The results reveal knowledge gaps in HPV/HPV Vaccine and HNC among surveyed medical students. Our findings also suggest an association between knowledge of personal vaccination status, self-perceived risk, and how uncertainty in these factors may affect the medical students’ understanding of HPV, HPV vaccination, and associated cancers.

KEYWORDS:

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• HPV vaccine
• HPV knowledge
• Head and Neck Cancer (HNC)
• HNC knowledge
• medical students
• medical education

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Yocasta Brugal, President of San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, for her outstanding institutional support and Dr. Estela S. Estape, Research Center Director, for the scientific writing review.

Authors’ contribution

All authors included in this study, Isardo Braverman Diaz, Norangelys Solis Torres, Luis A. Rivera Morales, Jose J. Perez Sánchez, Valeria S. Perez Bravo, Angel J. Neris Sanchez, Alexis Vera, Yaritza Diaz-Algorri, participated in the conception, design, analysis, interpretation, drafting and review and have approved this version for publishing agreeing to be held accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.