Aim:
Cervical cancer is a common and mostly fatal gynecological malignancy. HPV vaccination is a secure and efficient procedure to prevent cancer before the first sexual intercourse. Designed to prevent the majority of invasive cervical cancer, quadrivalent (HPV 6/11/16/18) and bivalent (HPV 16/18) vaccines have been available since 2006 and 2007. These vaccines can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if given before a girl or woman is exposed to the virus. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices- ACIP suggests that girls should be vaccinated around the age of 12 years, even series can be started at age of 9 years.
Material and Method:
Between the dates of 1 January – 28 February 2018 at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University Medical Research Center 50 nurses who have daughters, answered the questions of knowledge level assesstment survey about HPV vaccination.
Results:
Although %88 of the nurses know how and why to screen cervical cancer, only %32 of them had regular gynecological examination and cervical cancer screening. The rate of informing patients about HPV vaccination at gynecologist appointments of these 50 nurses, is %15.
Conclusion:
Nurses, providing healthcare services and health education to the community, have sufficient knowledge about HPV vaccination, which is indispensable for preventing cervical cancer. However, their trust in HPV vaccines is at very low levels. Additionally, our research shows that gynecologists cannot inform their patients efficiently due to not having HPV vaccination on National Immunizations Programme and additional costs.
Keywords: Vaccine, HPV, cervix cancer