Abstract Background: Despite the proven effectiveness of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in the prevention of HPV-related malignancies, vaccine uptake remains low in many low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. This study assessed the level of HPV vaccine uptake and associated factors among undergraduate students at a Nigerian university. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 undergraduates selected through a multi-stage sampling technique between July and September 2023. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire and analysed with SPSS version 26. Results: Of the 410 male and female participants, 1.5% (6/410) received the HPV vaccine, all of whom were female (2.8% of the female respondents). Vaccine uptake was associated with knowing where to obtain the vaccine (p<0.001) and sex (p=0.037). Maternal levels of education, knowledge of the HPV vaccine, age, knowledge of HPV, and socioeconomic class were not related to vaccine uptake. Common reasons for non-uptake of the HPV vaccine included lack of awareness (63.2%; 211/334) and not knowing where to obtain the vaccine (19.2%; 64/334). Conclusion: The uptake of the HPV vaccine was very low, with a major barrier to vaccination being a lack of awareness about the vaccine. Contribution: This study provides a need to strengthened collaboration between university authorities and health authorities in raising awareness, improving accessibility, and enhancing the integration of HPV vaccination services within university settings in Nigeria.
Lawal et al. (Fri,) studied this question.