Güner, Pinar DönerGözükara, Kerem Han2024-09-192024-09-1920191303-2283https://doi.org/10.17098/AMJ.624511https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12483/14375Objectives: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease, lead to several cancers seen in both sexes such as cervix, anogenital and penile cancer. The risk of being infected at least once in a lifetime among both males and females is 50%. The risk of HPV contamination increases by sexual activity at early ages. At the present time, HPV vaccines are invented both to prevent HPV infection and related lesions as well as providing remission and regression of existing lesions. However, the rate of HPV vaccination is quite low. The aim of this study was to describe knowledge of doctors regarding HPV vaccination and to evaluate the factors that affect the mothers' decision- making to vaccinate their own children and patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted via a self-administered questionnaire, shared via social media, among 221 doctors having children. The questionnaire was asked about demographic data, their knowledge regarding HPV vaccine, their thoughts on whether to vaccinate their children with HPV vaccine and their willingness to vaccinate their patients with the vaccine. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 21 statistical program and the data was evaluated with 95% confidence interval. The frequency and the percentage values were calculated and showed in the tables. Moreover, Chi-square test was applied to the categorical data in the cross tables. Results: The number of respondents knowing "HPV vaccine prevents cancer" was 192 (90.14%). The number of doctors giving right answer to "HPV vaccine should be advised to both girls and boys" question was 130 (64.36%) and the frequency of "knowing this information" among the respondents was statistically significant (p=0.001). The number of answers (yes, no and hesitant) to the question of whether "thinking to vaccinate their children with HPV vaccine" were 100 (46.51%), 46 (21.40%) and 69 (32.09%) respectively. With regard to the gender of the children, 53 doctors (53.0%) having girls only, 21 ones (21.0%) having boys only considered vaccinating their children with HPV vaccine. Additionally, 26 doctors (26.0%) having both girl and boy thought of vaccinating their children with the HPV vaccine and 16 ones (34.78%) thought otherwise. Regarding the gender of children seemed to influence the thought of HPV vaccination among doctors, also mothers (p=0.003). Besides there was a statistical difference between thinking HPV vaccination for their own children and advising HPV vaccination to their patients (p=0.001). Conclusion: The most important factors affecting parents to vaccinate their children are belief in the reliability to the vaccine, the level of knowledge and the advices conducted by doctors. The trustworthiness of the vaccine will be reinforced by increasing the knowledge level of doctors and advising the vaccine. Therefore, HPV infection and related cancers will be prevented with the help of rising the vaccination rates importantly. © 2019 Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University. All rights reserved.trinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAnogenital CancerCervix CancerHuman Papilloma VirusPenile CancerVaccinationArticle18353954910.17098/AMJ.6245112-s2.0-85128921242Q3