1Campaign for Head and Neck Cancer Education (CHANCE) Program, Cephas Health Research Initiative Inc, Ibadan, Nigeria
3World Health Organization, Kebbi State Field Office, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria
4Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria
5Department of Statistics, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
6Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria
7Department of Microbiology, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria
*Corresponding e-mail: kanmodikehinde@yahoo.com
Online published on 1 October, 2020.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a notorious virus that is responsible for some cancers in the human body. This study aims to explore the knowledge of a sample of freshmen of the Sultan Abdur-Rahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on HPV, HPV-induced cancers and HPV vaccines.
This study surveyed 224 freshmen of the Sultan Abdur-Rahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa, on HPV, HPV induced cancers and HPV vaccines, using a paper questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS Version 20 Software.
The mean (± SD) age of the surveyed freshmen was 22.04 (± 3.42) years. Only 65 (29.0%) of them had ever heard of HPV and the top three sources of their knowledge of the virus were doctor/nurse (16/65), TV/ radio/magazine (15/65), and parents (9/65). However, the majority of those respondents who claimed awareness of HPV lacked adequate knowledge about the virus and the vaccine.
They exists a very low awareness rate of HPV, HPV-induced cancers and HPV vaccines among the surveyed freshmen of the Sultan Abdur-Rahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa, Sokoto State, Nigeria.
Human papillomavirus, Cancer, Vaccine, Youth, Students, College, Nigeria
