Abstract: Introduction: Cervical cancer is the 4th leading cancer globally and 3rd leading cancer in India. In India, poor literacy, low level of awareness among Indian women along with lack of facilities of both early cade detection and screening remains a major area of concern to health care workers. The main etiology is persistent infection with human papilloma virus (HPV). Poor personal hygiene, early sexual activity, multiple sexual partners pose as the major risk factors. Recognizing early symptoms and seeking medical is the best way to prevent it. This is done via prophylactic vaccination and early screening techniques to identify the precancerous lesions and start further treatment.
Methods: A cross- sectional study conducted during December 2024 in a private medical college in Ernakulam district using universal sampling technique. Study tool used for data collection was semi-structured expert validated questionnaire containing questions based on awareness regarding cervical cancer and HPV vaccination. Collected data was in google forms and was analyzed using SPSS version 25 software. Descriptive statistics is expressed in percentage and frequencies.
Results: Total of 216 students were included in the study which comprised 84.3% female and 15.7% male with mean age of 21.935. Out of 216 participants 94.4% are aware HPV as the main etiology for causing cervical cancer.
90.7% individuals knew that early sexual activity, poor personal hygiene and multiple sexual partners contribute as major risk factors for causing the disease.
91.7% participants are aware that cervical cancer is a preventable cancer and 83.8% are aware of the various screening methods. 76.4% Individuals opted for HPV vaccination as the best preventive measure, however 16.2% are only vaccinated against HPV.
Conclusion: Majority of the participants are well aware regarding cervical cancer and its preventive strategies. Most of the participants are aware that HPV is the main causative agent and factors like early sexual activity, poor personal hygiene, multiple sexual partners are major risk elements for causing cervical cancer. Such observational studies improves the awareness among the students and their relatives and can promote vaccine seeking behaviour and early screening for cervical cancer.
Though most of the participants are aware of the advantages of HPV vaccines, they have not been vaccinated against HPV due to barriers such as cost of vaccine, fear of vaccination, lack of adequate awareness, this enables us to initiate new strategies such as subsidized vaccines and government or NGO sponsored vaccine programs.
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