Female hospital-based healthcare professionals' knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV and attitudes towards HPV vaccination.

OBJECTIVE: To find out female hospital-based healthcare professionals' knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV and attitudes towards HPV vaccination.

DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study.

SETTING: Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

SAMPLE: A total of 350 female hospital-based healthcare professionals who had not been diagnosed as having any cancer and willing to participate in the study.

METHODS: Participants completed written consent and an anonymous questionnaire and knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV and attitudes towards HPV vaccination were the main outcome measures.

RESULTS: Among 300 responders, the mean age was 36.1 years. Most of them were married with children and had received university education. Nursing assistants accounted for 47.1%, and their income per month was about 5,001-15,000 baht. Most (56.3%) had only one lifetime sexual partner. Sixty-eight to 85.3% have a good knowledge of cervical cancer and Pap smear. However, only 12.0 to 58.3% have some knowledge of HPV, and less than fifty percent of them have knowledge of HPV vaccination. Nevertheless, 51.7 to 60.7% of them have good attitudes toward vaccination. Their age and income might influence their attitudes about having themselves vaccinated, and their career might be a factor which altered their attitudes about having their daughter vaccinated if they have one.

CONCLUSIONS: Female hospital-based healthcare professionals have a good knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smears, but they need motivation to have Pap tests regularly. More information regarding HPV and vaccination is needed to provide to them for cervical cancer prevention and best practices.