Human papillomavirus vaccine knowledge and conspiracy beliefs among secondary school students in Lebanon

Abstract

Background Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is widely prevalent across the globe. In Lebanon, the society is transitioning from traditional conservatism to a more open attitude. Although previous studies have examined the knowledge of adults in Lebanon with regard to HPV and its vaccine, there is a lack of research on secondary school students. Moreover, HPV is considered a worldwide public health matter that needs to be addressed. Therefore, the objective of our study is to assess factors associated with knowledge and conspiracy beliefs towards HPV vaccine among a sample of Lebanese adolescents. Methods Between December 2022 and February 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional study on Lebanese adolescents aged 15 to 18 years old. Parental approval was needed in order to participate. We used a questionnaire to collect data, which included the HPV-knowledge questionnaire (HPV-KQ) and the Vaccine Conspiracy Belief Scale (VCBS). Results Of the 406 participants who filled the survey, 64.8% were female, with a mean age of 16.62 ± 1.01. Results showed that 31.0% of students had high knowledge about HPV, while 27.6% had high conspiracy beliefs, and 48% of participants relied on the internet to access information on HPV. Students who had previously heard of HPV, received sexual education at school or outside, and had received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine demonstrated significantly higher knowledge of HPV. Additionally, students with high knowledge had a lower mean House Crowding Index, and those whose fathers had a university education had lower conspiracy beliefs. Females had a higher vaccination rate than males, while no significant difference was found between those who had engaged in sexual activity and those who had not. The multivariate analysis indicated that previous awareness of HPV and receiving sexual education outside school were significantly associated with higher knowledge. Conclusion Our study brings to light the urgent need for action to increase HPV awareness and vaccination among Lebanese secondary school students. The prevalence of vaccine misconceptions and conspiracy beliefs and the limited knowledge of HPV underscore the importance of more comprehensive sexual education in schools and the dissemination of accurate information about HPV and its vaccine. Furthermore, given the low vaccination rate among males, efforts should be made to promote HPV vaccination among this population. Addressing these issues can improve public health and help prevent the spread of HPV and its related diseases.

Determinants of human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy among Lebanese parents

“…A 2019 review looking at studies from Iran showed that overall population knowledge of HPV vaccine was low but attitude towards the vaccine tended to be positive; the only study from the review that looked at parental attitude towards the vaccine showed that 76% of parents had no knowledge about HPV infection [ 32 ]. In a recent study from Lebanon only 11.3% of students 15–18-year-old reported receiving at least one dose of HPV vaccine, 36.5% were not sure if they had received any doses [ 33 ].…”

“…Most stated reasons for non-acceptance of HPV vaccine in our study were the lack of knowledge and provider recommendation, both of which may be related as doctors are expected to educate patients about the vaccine when recommending it and since physicians were reported as an entrusted source of medical information. Only 21.9% of Lebanese secondary school students reported hearing about the HPV vaccine from their doctor, whereas internet was their primary source of knowledge (48%) [ 33 ]. This may be due to a lack of knowledge of primary care physicians about the vaccine or lack of empowerment in recommending the vaccine.…”