Nursing students' knowledge on the human papillomavirus vaccine

Objective: To assess nursing students' knowledge on the human papillomavirus vaccine and compare the results obtained among students of the first and last year of graduation. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study, conducted between May and June 2019. A questionnaire was applied to 179 nursing students from a public university in the state of Sao Paulo, containing sociodemographic data and another on knowledge of human papillomavirus and the vaccine against it. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Packcage for Social Science. Results: 82.4% of first-year students and 95.5% of last-year students answered that they knew what human papillomavirus is, claiming to be a sexually transmitted virus. Knowledge gaps were identified regarding the purpose of cytopathological examination, risk factors related to infection and related to the vaccine, such as number of doses and possible risks and benefits of it. Conclusion: Although students demonstrated knowledge on human papillomavirus, its transmissibility and direct relationship with cervical cancer, they still presented important doubts that should be answered, regarding the purpose of the cytopathological examination, the risk factors for infection by the virus and in relation to the vaccine against the human papillomavirus.