A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING HPV VACCINATION AMONG EARLY ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN SELECTED SCHOOL, GREATER NOIDA, U.P.

Abstract

HPV is the “most common sexually transmitted infection,” with approximately four out of five sexually active individuals getting infected at some point in their life. Cancers of the throat, mouth, cervix, anus, penis, and vagina have all been linked to HPV infections. This study was conducted using descriptive, cross-sectional research design. A convenience sampling technique was used to select 60 samples for the study. A structured knowledge questionnaire was prepared to assess the knowledge regarding HPV vaccination. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings of the study revealed that the Majority of early adolescent had good knowledge i.e. 28(46.67%), 24(40%) had average knowledge, 6(10%) had poor knowledge and only 2(3.34%) had excellent knowledge. Mean value was 13.32. Standard deviation value was 4.02. The study highlights the urgent need for structured educational interventions to increase awareness about HPV and cervical cancer prevention. It also emphasizes the importance of vaccination awareness programs, which should be implemented in schools through healthcare professionals.