Investigating Perceptions of Human Papillomavirus Vaccines Through Rapid Assessment in Nigerian Communities

Introduction: As Nigeria prepares to introduce the HPV vaccine into its its Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), concerns remain about state-level program readiness and community awareness. This study is a rapid assessment conducted to assess the knowledge, perception, and vaccination intention of adolescents and adults residing in the 16 states selected for the first phase of the HPV vaccine introduction. Methods: This cross-sectional rapid assessment involves data collection from 17,463 participants across the 16 phases 1 HPV vaccine introduction states. Data were collected using a combination of convenience and simple random sampling techniques. Trained professionals administered structured surveys through the Open Data Kit (ODK) on mobile devices. Collected data was cleaned, re-coded, and analysed using Chi-Square Test, Fisher’s Exact Test on open-source software R in the R-studio environment. Trend analysis was conducted using frequency distribution and charts. Findings : Results revealed a significant association between socio-demographic factors and knowledge about HPV and its vaccine, perceived susceptibility to HPV infection, as well as willingness to be vaccinated. The one-month trend analysis revealed a notable increase in knowledge (+12%), and perceived susceptibility (+9%). However, there was a slight decrease in willingness to be vaccinated (-1%) in the one month between the first and second assessment. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the extent of knowledge, perception, and willingness to take the HPV vaccine. Despite improvements in knowledge and perceived susceptibility, there was a slight decrease in willingness to be vaccinated. This highlights challenges such as vaccine hesitancy which may impact overall acceptance.