Knowledge, Attitudes and Intentions of Women towards Cervical Carcinoma, Human Papillomavirus and Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the most common tumour among Thai women. The primary cause of cervical cancer is Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The preventive measure currently used for a control of cervical cancer is called Pap smear screening, which is considered secondary prevention. However, primary prevention using the HPV vaccine is highly recommended for cervical cancer prevention. This descriptive research was conducted to examine the knowledge in relation to cervical carcinoma, HPV, and the prophylactic HPV vaccine. In addition, attitudes and intention towards receiving the prophylactic HPV vaccine for women’s daughters were also studied. A representative sample in the study was women who attended the gynecological service at the Out Patient Department (the OPD group), including women with abnormal Pap smear results and women with cervical cancer (the abnormal Pap group) who were treated at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. This study was carried out under the approval of the Research Ethics Committee of Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. The data were collected between April and August, 2007 and analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and chi-square test.

The findings showed that both groups of the women had quite low appreciation in some aspects regarding causal factors and risk factors of cervical carcinoma, prevention of HPV infection, and side effects of the prophylactic HPV vaccine. When categorized according to their levels of education, it was found that there were statistically significant differences in terms of knowledge in some items regarding causal factors and risk factors of cervical carcinoma and side effects of the prophylactic HPV vaccine. Women with the abnormal Pap group had statistically significant better attitudes and more intention to have their daughters receive HPV vaccine than those in the OPD group.

Based on the study, the women should be encouraged to be more informed. Furthermore, the secondary cervical cancer prevention by Pap smear screening should be sufficiently facilitated by the government. In addition, the primary cervical cancer prevention should be promoted by improving good attitudes about the prophylactic HPV vaccine.