Awareness about Cervical Cancer and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination among Undergraduate Students of G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Indian women and is considered a significant public health problem. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the principal etiologic agent. Timely screening and vaccination are effective strategies to combat the prevalence of cervical cancer. The aim of the present study was to improve knowledge regarding cervical cancer, HPV, and HPV vaccines, which will help increase vaccine acceptance and prevention of cervical cancer. Aim: “To Assess Awareness about Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccination among Undergraduate Students of G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.” Objectives: (1) To assess knowledge regarding cervical cancer and HPV vaccination among the study participants. (2) To find out students’ willingness to receive the HPV vaccine and recommend it to others. (3) To determine barriers to HPV vaccination uptake among medical students. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted at G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, among 800 undergraduate MBBS students aged 18 years and above after obtaining informed consent. Data were collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data will be analyzed using SPSS software. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis will be applied to assess associations between variables of interest. Results: Of the total respondents, 55.6% were male, 60.8% were urban residents, and 56.1% were from middle-class backgrounds. Awareness was high: 90.5% had heard of HPV, 92.2% of cervical cancer, 70.3% of HPV vaccines in India, and 72.5% knew vaccination prevents cervical cancer. Only 19.0% were vaccinated, though 48.3% were willing to receive it, 83.1% would recommend it to peers, and 89.2% to future patients. Top barriers (multi-select) were fear of side effects (42.6%), lack of knowledge (41.8%), and cost (28.8%). Urban students showed higher awareness (P < 0.05, Chi-square), but there were no significant gender differences in willingness. Conclusion: Our findings showed that although medical undergraduates were generally aware of the importance of vaccines, many still lacked deeper knowledge and hesitated to get vaccinated often because of concerns about safety and cost. With more supportive, clear, and focused educational efforts, students could have been better equipped to feel confident and make informed choices, ultimately improving vaccination uptake.