A Cross-Sectional Study of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions toward HPV Vaccination Among Undergraduate Students Studying in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Authors

Melissa Siaw Han Lim, Shirley Siang Ning Tan, Mohamad Adam Bujang, Jordan Ferguson Anak Shandra, Nurain Nazwa Binti Nor Azman, Siti Naura Insyirah Binti Mohd Razali, Mee Fong Tan, Izzati Binti Wan Maharuddin, Adam Malik Bin Ismail, Rahmah Binti Rashid, Xun Ting Tiong, Pei Jye Voon

Published in

Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP. Volume 27. Issue 9. Pages 3365-3375. Sep 01, 2026. Epub Sep 01, 2026.

Abstract

Cervical cancer remains a significant public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and is mainly caused by persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). Despite Malaysia's national HPV vaccination program, gaps in knowledge, misconceptions, and suboptimal vaccine uptake persist even among university students.
This study aimed to assess HPV-related knowledge, attitudes and perceptions toward HPV vaccination among undergraduate students studying in Sarawak, and to identify sociodemographic factors associated with knowledge levels.
A total of 382 undergraduate students participated, of whom 55% were unvaccinated against HPV. Overall, HPV knowledge was moderate, with students from health faculties demonstrating higher HPV knowledge compared with those from non-health faculties ([aOR] = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.5; p = 0.016); Indian participants had significantly higher odds of high HPV-related knowledge compared with Malay participants (adjOR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.0-7.0; p = 0.043). Vaccinated students have significantly higher HPV-related knowledge compared with unvaccinated students (adjOR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2-3.0; p=0.007). Attitudes toward HPV vaccination were generally positive, although concerns regarding cost, safety, and social stigma remained.
Undergraduate students demonstrated moderate knowledge and positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination; however, notable knowledge gaps and misconceptions persist, particularly among non-health students and those who were unvaccinated. Targeted educational strategies and improved access to reliable information are essential to strengthen HPV prevention efforts.

PMID:
42808405
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 29 Sep 2026.

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