Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination and adolescent girls in eldoret, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) nevertheless preventable has claimed the lives of many women worldwide. Human papillomavirus is the main contributory agent of cervical cancer. The HPV vaccination targets young adolescent girls that need parents’ permission for medical interventions. Objectives: To determine the knowledge, attitude, desire and practice of HPV vaccination of adolescent girls by their mothers in Eldoret, Kenya. Methods: This cross-sectional ques- tionnaire-based study involving mothers of adolescent girls in Eldoret, Kenya. The data were obtained using semi-structured questionnaires. Data analysis involved both descriptive and inferential statistics at 95% confidence level using the SPSS software version 22. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistical- ly significant. Result: The mean age of 300 respondents was 34 years. The vaccination of adolescent girls against HPV was low at 9.4% (28/300). This study found a high level (85.0%) of cervical cancer awareness but much lower awareness of HPV (60.0%) and HPV vaccine (62.0%). Most respondent’s parents (90.6%) still indicated intentions to vaccinate their daughters in this study. Vaccination practice of women with positive attitudinal response to HPV vaccination was significantly lower than those without p=0.02, 95% CI, OR=0.48 (0.90-0.89). Only three attitudinal parameters; “vaccination of my daughters will prompt early sexual activity and cost of HPV vaccination being a barrier to vaccination” had statistically significant influence on the practice of HPV vaccination of daughters. Positive attitude to cost of HPV vaccine significantly increased up take of HPV vaccination of daughters while negative attitude to daughters’ early onset of sexual activity significantly reduced up take. P value =0.04 and 0.007 respectively. Conclusion: The study concludes that the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine for prevention of cervical cancer is still moderate among mothers of adolescent daughters in this study. There was predominantly positive attitude towards the use of HPV vaccination for prevention of cervi- cal cancer among respondents; hence the high rate of desire by mothers to vaccinate their daughters. The practice of the HPV vaccination by mothers of adolescent girls was still low. There is need for increased awareness creation by government agencies and caring physicians. Also, there is need for policy to guide and unify various stake holder efforts in the struggle against an increasing cervical cancer burden. . Public health practitioners could therefore enlist NGOs and activists in HPV vaccina- tion programs for influencing adolescent girls and their parents towards increased uptake of the vaccine in our environment