Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccination among male nurses.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of male nurses towards human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccination and to examine whether knowledge about the HPV vaccine affects attitudes and beliefs about HPV vaccines. BACKGROUND: HPV is responsible for ≈5% of all cancers worldwide. Therefore, vaccination against HPV is recommended to prevent HPV infections and HPV-related cancers in men and women. METHODS: The study group included 383 male nurses who were asked to complete online questionnaires. The data were collected using the following tools: a sociodeomographical characteristics form, the Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Scale (HPVKS), and The Carolina HPV Immunization Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (CHIAS). RESULTS: It was determined that the general HPV knowledge of the male nurses participating in the study was at a moderate level, but their knowledge of HPV screening test, HPV vaccination, and current HPV vaccination programmes were at a low level. Male nurses' HPV vaccination rates were relatively low, and most of them did not intend to be vaccinated. In addition, CHIAS Attitudes and Beliefs scores of the male nurses were at an average level and HPV knowledge affected the attitudes and beliefs of the nurses. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate an opportunity to improve information and awareness about HPV and vaccines by nursing education.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Male University Students in Turkey: Coverage Rate, Barriers, and Associated Factors.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is one of the most effective public health measures for preventing HPV-related cancers and other diseases. However, vaccination coverage is not at the desired level, especially among men. In this context, we aimed to determine HPV vaccination rates, barriers, and some related demographic and personal factors among male university students in Turkey. We shared an online questionnaire prepared by the authors in line with the relevant literature on social media platforms and included 1723 male university students in this cross-sectional study. Only 4.9% of the students stated that they were vaccinated against HPV, and the most important obstacle to vaccination was not knowing when to be vaccinated (49.5%). Additionally, marital status, sexual orientation, chronic diseases, family history of cervical cancer, and having heard of HPV were significant predictors of HPV vaccination.