Objectives: Cervical cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women globally. Vaccination and screening are essential strategies to reduce cervical cancer-related deaths. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a vital role in promoting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perceived barriers related to HPV vaccination and screening among HCPs in a tertiary care centre in Uttarakhand. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 healthcare professionals (nurses, doctors, and paramedics) from a tertiary care teaching institute of Dehradun district, Uttarakhand. Data was collected using a validated, self-structured, and pretested questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis using STATA Software SE 18. Results: Among the 350 respondents, only 15.1% demonstrated good knowledge, while more than half exhibited a positive attitude toward HPV vaccination and screening. The most commonly perceived barriers to vaccination included lack of awareness, unavailability of vaccination centres, and fear of adverse effects. For screening, key barriers were a lack of awareness, fear of cancer diagnosis, and discomfort during the procedure. Significant associations were found between knowledge and attitude levels with marital status and education level. A moderate positive correlation ( r = 0.556, p <0.05) was observed between knowledge and attitude scores. Conclusion: The study concluded that while attitudes were generally positive, knowledge regarding HPV vaccination and screening among HCPs was inadequate. Targeted training and awareness programs are essential to equip HCPs with accurate knowledge, thereby improving HPV vaccination and screening rates across the population.
Sahadevan et al. (Mon,) studied this question.