KNOWLEDGE OF HPV INFECTION, PERCEPTION AND ACCEPTABILITY OF HPV VACCINE AMONG MOTHERS AGED 15 TO 64 YEARS IN IBADAN NORTH, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The incidence of cervical cancer has been on the increase worldwide with developing countries having the highest mortality from the disease. Infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes 70% of cervical cancer cases and is the most sexually transmitted infection as over 80% of sexually active individuals will be infected by HPV in their lifetime. Preventive measures like screening tests and the newly approved HPV vaccine for females especially adolescents has resulted in a decrease in incidence of cervical cancer in developed countries. Little is known about the acceptability of the HPV vaccine in Nigeria as HPV vaccine was newly introduced in the country. This study aims to examine mothers' current knowledge on HPV infection, perception and acceptability of HPV vaccine for self and adolescents among mothers in Ibadan north LG. A cross sectional study was carried out using multi stage sampling technique to select 428 mothers as respondents. A semi structured interviewer administered questionnaire which included knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV infection, willingness to accept HPV vaccine and perception toward HPV vaccine questions was administered to all the respondents. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics; factors associated with knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV infection and willingness to accept HPV vaccine was analysed with Chi square and logistic regression at 5% level of significance. The mean age of the mothers was 35.7±10 years and 48.4% of them bad at most secondary education. Only 48.1% and 10.5% of the respondents had heard of cervical cancer and HPV infection respectively. Majority (94.6%) of the respondents bad poor knowledge of HPV infection with a mean knowledge score of 1.05±0.22 while 62.6% of respondents had low perception towards HPV vaccine. Majority of the respondents were willing to accept HPV vaccine for self (64.3%) while 49.8% were willing to accept HPV vaccine for adolescent daughter. Reasons given for not willing to accept HPV vaccine for self and for adolescent daughter were not knowing much about the vaccine (82.7%) and daughter being too young to know about sexual matters (79.8%). Having tertiary education was significantly associated with increased knowledge of HPV infection (O.R-=0.066, C.I=0.014-0.315) while ethnicity (O.R-2.85, C.I= l.42-5.69), knowledge of HPV infection (O.R=l.94, C.I=l.14-3.29), age at first sex (O.R=0.4, CI-=0.17-0.89) and awareness of HPV infection (O.R=0.39, C.1=0.15-0.99) were significantly associated with acceptability of HPV vaccine for daughter. Only ethnicity (O.R=2.18. C.1=1.06-4.45) and knowledge of HPV infection (O.R-=0.17, C.I=0.31-1.36) were significantly associated with perception toward HPV vaccine. Acceptability of HPV vaccine for self among the respondents was higher than acceptability of the vaccine for their daughters. Knowledge of HPV infection and perception toward the vaccine are important factors that can influence willingness to accept HPV vaccine. For a successful implementation and coverage of HPV adolescent immunisation in Nigeria there is need for more health promotion, effective health communication and health education of the public with more focus on mothers.