Publication:

Determination of Turkish mothers' hesitations, awareness and knowledge levels regarding human papillomavirus vaccination for their sons

Background This is the first study aimed at determining the level of knowledge, awareness and hesitations among Turkish mothers about the administration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to their sons.

Methods This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Eskişehir Yunusemre Hospital in Turkey from 13 April 2022, to 13 July 2022. The study involved a sample of 513 mothers with sons. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 26, which included mean values, standard deviations, and percentage distributions, along with statistical tests such as ANOVA, post-Hoc, and Chi-square tests.

Results Among the participants, only 38% had previously heard of the HPV infection. Only 1.9% of the participants had vaccinated their sons against HPV. Notably, 36% of those who were either hesitant or unwilling to vaccinate their sons expressed a lack of sufficient knowledge about the HPV vaccine as their primary reason. In our study, the participants' overall average HPV knowledge score was 22.6, while their awareness score was 77 out of 100.

Conclusions Increasing knowledge about HPV is likely to play a crucial role in reducing vaccine hesitancy and enhancing vaccine acceptability. Consequently, healthcare professionals organizing educational initiatives and awareness campaigns to inform mothers about HPV infections and vaccines are seen as an effective approach.