Background

HPV is responsible for 95% of cases of cervical cancer. Vaccination is a proven method of prevention. Free vaccination for children aged 12–13 years was introduced in Poland lately. Knowledge among society and awareness among physicians seem essential for success.

Objectives

The aim is to assess public knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccination and to identify the factors that encourage or discourage the vaccination.

Material and methods

An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 348 primary care patients aged 13–54 (31.61% men; 68.39% women) in March–April 2023 in Poland. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica ver 13.3 (Statsoft, Poland).

Results

73% of the respondents were not vaccinated against HPV. Women know more about HPV infection as a risk factor of cervical cancer (62.6% women vs 45.45% men) and are more aware about the need for the vaccination than men (78.15% women vs 62.7% men). Knowledge about the HPV vaccine is greater among people with higher education and students of medical faculties (91.6%) than other people (63.6%). Citizens of big cities (58.2%) and holders of higher medical education (77%) are more likely to vaccinate their children in the future. The place of residence does not correlate with knowledge about the availability of the vaccine and its reimbursement.

Conclusions

Insufficient knowledge among patients about HPV vaccination and HPV infection is the main reason for not vaccinating. Health promotion is crucial for the success of the HPV vaccination program in Poland.