(C-255) Assessing Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination Among Medical Students at the University of Nairobi

Background: The HPV vaccine protects against the strains of HPV that cause most cases of
cervical cancer. There are three vaccines, Cervarix, Gardasil and Gardasil 9, approved for
prevention of HPV serotypes 16 and 17 which are associated with about 70% of cervical
cancer. Several studies have demonstrated that these vaccines are safe. However, there are
reported incidences of adverse effects associated with the HPV vaccines. Knowledge and
attitude have been demonstrated as crucial factors determining the acceptance of vaccines in
the future. Numerous studies have been conducted worldwide on the subject of health science
students and their knowledge and attitudes toward the HPV vaccine.

Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of HPV vaccination among medical
students; pharmacy, medicine, nursing, medical lab and dental surgery.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study done among the undergraduate
medical students doing pharmacy, medical laboratory, medicine, nursing and dental surgery
in the University of Nairobi. A questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions was
shared as an online Google Form and the data was analyzed quantitatively using Microsoft
Excel, SPSS and qualitatively through thematic analysis

Results: The study found that 95.2% of respondents were aware of HPV, with 88.6%
identifying sexual contact as the main mode of transmission. Most respondents viewed HPV
vaccination positively, with 70.6% agreeing on its importance. However, 36.8% remained
neutral on vaccine efficacy. Demographic factors like gender, age, academic year, and course
influence knowledge, attitudes, and practices about HPV vaccination. Older students and those in higher academic years have a more nuanced understanding, while medical students pursuing patient care have a greater emphasis on vaccination.

Conclusions: Awareness and understanding of the HPV vaccination among university students is likely to increase the uptake of the HPV vaccines among the youth, potentially leading to a reduction in the incidence of cervical cancer