Understanding HPV Vaccine Hesitancy: Knowledge, Attitude, and Willingness Towards Vaccination among Young Adults

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant global health issue, but its vaccination coverage is  currently low in the majority of the low- and middle-income countries, including Pakistan. Lack  of knowledge, cultural, and vaccine safety issues are some of the mechanisms behind hesitancy  among young adults, making them more vulnerable to HPV-related malignancies. This research  sought to assess the levels of knowledge, attitudes, vaccine acceptance, and HPV vaccine hesitancy  among Pakistani youth using the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) model and to identify the  main obstacles and enablers affecting the vaccine strategy. It was a cross-sectional survey on the  same population, i.e., 201 young adults aged 18-29 years of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.  A designed questionnaire was used to measure HPV knowledge, attitudes, vaccine hesitancy and  willingness, causal sources of information, and perceived barriers. Descriptive statistics  summarized the participants' characteristics, and correlation analysis was used to identify  relationships among knowledge, attitude, hesitancy, and willingness. Findings indicated moderate  levels of HPV knowledge (56.2%) and attitudes (52.7%), high hesitancy (44.8%), and low  willingness to receive the vaccine (29.9%). The key source of information (58.2 %) was the media, even though parental influence was significant (53.7 %), as was the fear of side effects (33.8%). There was a positive relationship among knowledge, attitude, and willingness, and a strong negative relationship between knowledge and hesitancy. The awareness, but significant distrust, and safety concerns among Pakistani youth towards HPV vaccination are moderate. The research results indicate the need for culturally specific educational activities, enhanced healthcare communication, and community-based interventions to reduce hesitancy and reinforce vaccine uptake