HPV Knowledge, Vaccination Uptake, and Barriers to Vaccination among Healthcare Workers at a University Hospital in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a microscopic virus that spreads easily through intimate contact. It is so common that most sexually active people will encounter it at some point in their lives. While the body often clears the infection on its own, certain types of this virus can linger and cause serious health problems, including cancers of the cervix, throat, and other areas. To stop this chain of infection, scientists developed a vaccine that teaches the immune system to fight the virus before it can take hold. This vaccine is a powerful tool, but its success depends on people knowing it exists, understanding who needs it, and feeling confident enough to get it.

Healthcare workers occupy a unique position in this story. As the people who answer questions and give advice, they are the trusted guides who help patients decide whether to get vaccinated. If a doctor or nurse does not recommend the shot, a patient is far less likely to receive it. This creates a critical expectation: the people who give the advice should also be the ones who follow it. However, knowing the facts about a disease does not always mean a person will take the steps to protect themselves. A recent study set out to see if this gap between knowledge and action exists among the medical staff at a large university hospital in Turkey.

Researchers gathered a group of 288 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, midwives, and administrative staff, to ask them what they knew about the virus and the vaccine. They used a detailed questionnaire to test the group's understanding of how the virus spreads, how it is tested for, and who is eligible for the vaccine. The results showed that the staff generally knew a lot. On a test of 33 questions, the average score was nearly 25, indicating a strong grasp of the basics. Most participants correctly understood that the virus causes cervical cancer, that it spreads through sexual contact, and that having multiple partners increases the risk. They also knew that even vaccinated women still need regular cancer screenings.

Despite this high level of knowledge, the study uncovered a surprising disconnect when it came to personal action. Only a tiny fraction of the participants, just 6.2 percent, had actually received the HPV vaccine themselves. The researchers asked those who had not been vaccinated why they had skipped it. The most common reasons were a lack of knowledge about the vaccine (23.3%), a feeling that they were not at personal risk (19.8%), and the high cost of the treatment (10.1%). This suggests that even when medical professionals understand the science, gaps in specific knowledge about the vaccine, along with cost and personal perception, can stop them from protecting themselves.

The study also looked at who knew the most and found that job title mattered more than gender. In the initial look at the data, men appeared to know more than women. However, when the researchers adjusted for other factors like education and income, the difference between men and women disappeared. The real driver of knowledge was the profession itself. Doctors scored significantly higher on the knowledge test than nurses, midwives, medical secretaries, and other health staff. This is likely because doctors receive more specialized training on these topics, but it raises a concern because nurses and midwives are often the first people patients talk to about their health. If these frontline workers feel less confident about the vaccine details, they might not recommend it as strongly.

One of the biggest gaps in knowledge was not about the virus itself, but about the practical side of the vaccine. While the staff knew the virus was dangerous, many were unsure about who could get the shot, at what age, and where to find it. The study found that many workers did not know the vaccine was available for men or were unclear about the age limits for women. This confusion is significant because the vaccine is not automatically given to everyone in the national health system; it often requires a specific recommendation and payment by the individual. Without clear answers to these practical questions, even well-informed staff cannot guide their patients effectively.

The researchers concluded that the hospital staff has a solid foundation of scientific knowledge but lacks the practical confidence to turn that knowledge into action. The barrier is not a lack of intelligence or training, but rather a gap in understanding how to access the vaccine, how to communicate its value to adults and men, and a lack of specific knowledge about the vaccine itself. To fix this, the study suggests that future training programs should focus less on the basic biology of the virus and more on the logistics of vaccination. Staff need clear information on eligibility, cost, and how to talk to patients about their personal risk. By addressing these practical hurdles, hospitals can help ensure that the people who are supposed to be the champions of vaccination are also the ones who are protected.