Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Oct 14;24(1):1213.
doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-04998-w.

Knowledge, attitude and perception of Italian dental students toward HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer and vaccination: a cross-sectional study

Gennaro Musella  1   2 , Simone Liguori  3 , Tiziana Cantile  4   5 , Daniela Adamo  1 , Noemi Coppola  1 , Federica Canfora  1 , Andrea Blasi  6 , Martina Mignogna  1 , Massimo Amato  4 , Vito Carlo Alberto Caponio  2 , Michele Davide Mignogna  1 , Stefania Leuci  1
Affiliations

Knowledge, attitude and perception of Italian dental students toward HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer and vaccination: a cross-sectional study

Gennaro Musella et al. BMC Oral Health. .

Abstract

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a leading cause of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPSCC). This study aimed to carry out a Knowledge, Attitude and Perception survey on HPV infection, HPV+ OPSCC, and HPV vaccination among Italian dental students.

Methods: Through an online self-administered questionnaire consisting of 82 questions, data on dental students' sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and perceptions concerning HPV+ OPSCC, infection and vaccination were acquired. A statistical analysis, based on their year of attendance (early career, from 1st to 3rd year vs. late career, from 4th to 6th year) was also conducted.

Results: A total of 412 dental students completed the questionnaire. Knowledge of HPV+ OPSCC was reported by 61% of early-career students and 73% of late-career students, with high awareness of the HPV-OPSCC correlation in both groups (85% vs. 89%, respectively). The percentage of correct responses regarding HPV infection knowledge was 61% for early-career and 73% for late-career students, while vaccine knowledge was 70% and 78%, respectively. Over 90% of students acknowledged the dentist's role in educating patients about HPV and OPSCC, and attitudes toward discussing HPV and vaccination were positive. However, only about half would recommend the vaccine to either gender. Statistically significant differences were found between early- and late-career groups across all knowledge sections (p < 0.001), while no significant differences emerged for perception (p = 0.076) or attitude (p = 0.147).

Conclusions: The study reveals encouraging results but highlights significant gaps in dental students' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward HPV+ OPSCC, infection, and vaccination. Addressing these gaps through targeted education and training in dental curricula could improve HPV prevention awareness and patient education, ultimately enhancing public health outcomes.

Keywords: Attitude; Human papillomavirus viruses; Knowledge; Knowledge attitude and perception dental students; Oropharyngeal neoplasms.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Forman D, de Martel C, Lacey CJ, Soerjomataram I, Lortet-Tieulent J, Bruni L, Vignat J, Ferlay J, Bray F, Plummer M, et al. Global burden of human papillomavirus and related diseases. Vaccine. 2012;30(Suppl 5):F12–23. - PubMed
    1. Plummer M, de Martel C, Vignat J, Ferlay J, Bray F, Franceschi S. Global burden of cancers attributable to infections in 2012: a synthetic analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2016;4(9):e609–616. - PubMed
    1. Dawar DM, Harris MT, McNeil DS. approved by N: Update on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines: An Advisory Committee Statement (ACS) National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) (dagger). Can Commun Dis Rep 2012, 38(ACS-1):1–62. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Junhie Oh SZ. Oral HPV infection is common Worldwide, but risk of infection differs by sex, Continent, Population at infection, and Year. J evidence-based Dent Pract Dec 2023, 19(4). - PubMed
    1. Steben M, Duarte-Franco E. Human papillomavirus infection: epidemiology and pathophysiology. Gynecol Oncol. 2007;107(2 Suppl 1):S2–5. - PubMed

Substances

LinkOut - more resources