Abstract
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most frequent sexually transmitted viruses globally, with serious clinical consequences, such as cervical cancer. This study aims to evaluate knowledge and awareness of, and attitudes and beliefs towards, HPV and vaccines for it among women from several Saudi Arabian regions. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among Saudi Arabian women. Data were collected from December 9, 2024, to May 9, 2025, via an online survey including women’s demographics, knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and beliefs regarding HPV and vaccination against it. An overall of 627 women took part in the study. The majority of the population (32.1%) is aged from 36 to 45 years. In total, 47.4% of the participants have an adequate level of knowledge of HPV, 51.5% know that it is sexually transmitted, and 41.3% know that it can cause cervical cancer. The main information sources were the Ministry of Health and social media. Around 66.7% of the participants believed that the HPV vaccine is not safe. Marital status, religion, and educational status were demonstrably associated with overall knowledge and awareness of HPV and a vaccine for it. Age, marital status, children, region, education level, and occupation were significantly associated with beliefs concerning HPV. This study reported a gap in awareness and knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV; risk and HPV vaccination complications were found to be barriers to vaccine acceptance.
Keywords: belief, cervical cancer, human papilloma virus vaccines, knowledge, questionnaires, risk factors, Saudi Arabia
1. Introduction
Cervical cancer is a very serious condition that may be caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), as more than 90% of cervical cancers occur due to HPV infection, suggesting that HPV infection is a prerequisite step for cervical cancer.[1] HPV-related malignancies are primarily caused by the virus’s persistent infection and the function of its oncogenes.[2] There are various HPV genotypes acknowledged nowadays that are categorized into low-risk HPV (LR-HPV) and high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) according to their ability to form cancer.[3,4] Although there are other HPV carcinogenic genotypes, cervical cancer is most frequently associated with strains 16 and 18.[5] HPV infection is frequently clinically silent due to the absence of apparent symptoms; nevertheless, a number of lesions that could grow into aggressive cancers can be found in the genital organs.[2]
According to the World Health Organization, over 6.5 million Saudi women who are 15 years old or above are at elevated risk for acquiring cervical cancer.[6] According to hospital-based research, the incidence of HPV in Saudi Arabia is 47 cases per 100,000, and the most common forms, HPV 16 (30%), HPV 18 (8%), and HPV 45 (5%) are considered high-risk for cervical cancer.[7] Furthermore, Sait et al[7] conducted a 5-year population-based analysis and revealed that the prevalence proportion of HPV in Saudi women was 47 per 100,000. This suggests a high risk of HPV-related tumors in Saudi women.
In 2020, the incidence rate of cervical cancer was 2.4 per 100,000 women, making it the ninth most common disease among Saudi Arabian women aged 15 to 44.[8] While cervical cancer incidence and deaths are increasing in Saudi Arabia as the population grows, the real level of HPV infection is likely under-represented due to insufficient screening campaigns.[9] A recent study conducted in Jeddah revealed that there are substantial information gaps in the public’s knowledge, as exemplified by the fact that more than 60% of respondents were not aware of the connection between cervical cancer and HPV, or the accessibility of vaccinations.[10] Furthermore, the absence of thorough screening programs results in over 70% of cervical cancer cases in Saudi women being discovered at an advanced stage.[11] Another study indicated a significant lack of knowledge; only 4% of women asked had had an HPV vaccination, and the majority of participants were unaware of HPV infection and the associated vaccine.[12]
Worldwide, the incidence of cervical cancer has dramatically decreased due to efficient HPV vaccination and screening programs, which allow detecting cervical cancer in its early stages. Promoting population HPV screening tests could help to reduce both the mortality and prevalence of cervical cancer in Saudi Arabia. Consequently, raising awareness is critical to improving cervical cancer patients’ survival rates, given the potential for early recognition and detection of cancerous tumors, and subsequent early treatment. The current study’s data were collected across the country to better understand and evaluate differences in knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance vis-à-vis HPV vaccination among the Saudi population. The aim of the study was to evaluate Saudi women’s knowledge about cervical cancer and their beliefs regarding HPV and its vaccine. It also aimed to establish the connection between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge/attitudes. Evaluating women’s knowledge of and attitudes towards HPV infection and its implications may clarify the feasibility of implementing a well-structured cervical cancer screening strategy. Moreover, participants’ awareness and acceptance of an accessible vaccine could assist relevant decision-makers in deciding whether to incorporate it in the national vaccination program.
2. Material and methods
2.1. Research setting and participants:
A national cross-sectional study was conducted to assess levels of awareness and knowledge of, and attitudes and beliefs towards, HPV across Saudi Arabia, and Followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology criteria for describing findings from observational studies. To determine the study’s sample size, a standard formula to estimate proportions in population-based studies was used. “The formula used was: Sample size = [(Z1−α/2)2 * P(1−P)]/E2, where Z1−α/2 (standard normal variate) corresponds to a 5% type I error (P < .05), set at 1.96.” The estimated amount of the population demonstrating the parameters of interest, identified by P, was determined according to information gathered from a prior study and was set at .401.[13] The overall error or accuracy level (E) used in the current research was 0.05. As a result, Sample size = (1.96)2 * 0.401 (1−0.401)/(0.05)2 obtained 345 participants. The survey was distributed widely to ensure a geographically diverse sample, with a total sample size of 627.
To collect data for this study, a cross-country online questionnaire was utilized. The study survey was customized from a prior published study by Al Raisi et al[13] to accommodate the particular context of the population of Saudi Arabia. Only female individuals aged at least 20 years were involved in this study, while females under the age of 20 were barred from participating.
2.2. Data collection
The study questionnaire was conducted and collected electronically using an online Google Forms platform. The questionnaire was circulated to the target group via social media, and participants were requested to share it with other relevant persons. In order to increase the number of participants, the questionnaire was accessible from December 9, 2024, until May 9, 2025. Participants had to give electronic informed consent before the survey could be completed. The questionnaire was immediately terminated in the event of such consent not being given. Furthermore, in order to avoid incomplete information, participants were obliged to respond to all survey questions. The cover page of the survey involved the study aim, with an assurance to maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of participants.
2.3. Research tools and validation
In accordance with the Beaton rules, the study questions were first developed in English before being translated and back-translated into Arabic.[14] A team of 5 public health experts assessed both forms and their assessments and agreement yielded a content validity index of 0.91.[15]
“To minimize bias, the question sequences were organized in alphabetical Arabic order, except for the alternatives (I do not know the answer) and (Other), which were placed at the end of options.” The questionnaire had three sections with a total of 21 items (Supplementary Appendix 1, Supplemental Digital Content 1). The first section of the questionnaire collected demographic data about the participants, including age, marital status, number of children in the family, region in Saudi Arabia, education level, and employment.
The second section included 11 questions that assessed participants’ knowledge of HPV, screening tests, and risk factors. Every individual’s response was graded as 1 accurate and 0 wrong (Supplementary Table 1, Supplemental Digital Content 2). The highest score was 11, while the lowest was 0. According to the median score (6.0), they were separated into 2 groups: inadequate knowledge <6 and acceptable knowledge ≥6. The third section comprised 4 questions assessing participants’ concerns and beliefs toward HPV vaccination. Each correct response was assigned a score of 1 and each incorrect response a score of 0, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 4. As no validated cutoff exists for this questionnaire, participants were categorized according to the median belief score (2.0). Participants with scores ≥2 were classified as having adequate beliefs, whereas those with scores <2 were classified as having inadequate beliefs.
2.4. Data analysis
International Business Machines, Statistical package for social sciences Statistics (version 23) was used for statistical analysis. Categorical data were represented utilizing frequencies and percentages. The study’s categorical variables were assessed utilizing a chi-square test. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.
2.5. Ethical considerations
This work obtained ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee at Shaqra University, in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration (ERC_SU_S_202400049).
3. Results
A total of 627 women participated in and completed the study questionnaire. Of those, the largest proportion (32.1%) were in the 36 to 45 age range, followed by the 26 to 35 age range (27.0%), the 20 to 25 age range (26.5%), and the 46 + age range (14.4%). Over 50% of the respondents were married (54.7%), whereas minorities were widows (4.6%) and divorced (5.9%), respectively. Furthermore, the study participants’ average age was over 20 years, of which one-third were single. In this study, the majority of participants did not have children (40.8%), while for participants with children, the number varied (25.4% had 4, 12.6% had 3, 13.7% had 2, and 6.9% had 1). Over two-thirds of participants had completed a bachelor’s degree or were postgraduates (37.5% and 30.3%, respectively). Most of the remaining participants (20.9%) held a secondary school diploma. A minority of the participants were unemployed (41.9%), whereas the majority were employed (58.1%). Of the employed participants, non-healthcare professionals were a minority group (20.6%), while healthcare professionals were the predominant group (37.5%). Participants in this study came from 12 regions of Saudi Arabia and, as expected, the largest group was in the Riyadh region (41.1%) (Table 1). Most participants reported that they were interested in learning more about the role of HPV in human health and disease (86.8%) (Fig. 1). Additionally, the preferred sources of information among the participants were the Ministry of Health (33.0%) and social media (30.0%) (Fig. 2).
Table 1.
Summary of the sample’s demographic characteristics (N = 627).
| Variable | N (%) |
|---|---|
| Age | |
| 20–25 | 166 (26.5) |
| 26–35 | 170 (27.0) |
| 36–45 | 201 (32.1) |
| >46 | 90 (14.4) |
| Marital status | |
| Single | 218 (34.8) |
| Married | 343 (54.7) |
| Divorced | 37 (5.9) |
| Widow/er | 29 (4.6) |
| Family children member | |
| None | 256 (40.8) |
| 1 | 43 (6.9) |
| 2 | 86 (13.7) |
| 3 | 79 (12.6) |
| 4 | 159 (25.4) |
| Prefer not tell | 4 (0.6) |
| Region in Saudi Arabia | |
| Riyadh | 206 (32.9) |
| Makkah | 69 (11.0) |
| Eastern region | 41 (6.5) |
| Qassim | 30 (4.8) |
| Madina | 27 (4.3) |
| Albaha | 24 (3.8) |
| Assir | 31 (4.9) |
| Jazan | 96 (15.3) |
| Najran | 22 (3.5) |
| Ha’il | 23 (3.7) |
| Aljouf | 26 (4.1) |
| Northern border region | 32 (5.1) |
| Education level | |
| Less than secondary | 4 (0.6) |
| Secondary | 131 (20.9) |
| Diploma | 67 (10.7) |
| Bachelor | 235 (37.5) |
| Postgraduate | 190 (30.3) |
| Job | |
| Unemployed | 263 (41.9) |
| None-healthcare professional | 129 (20.6) |
| Healthcare professional | 235 (37.5) |
Results expressed as mean ± standard deviation or n/total n (%).
Figure 1.
Participants’ interest in receiving further data about the role of HPV in healthcare. HPV = human papilloma virus.
Figure 2.
Distribution of participants’ preferred sources of information regarding HPV and cervical cancer. HPV = human papilloma virus.
Similar results were obtained in terms of participants’ overall knowledge of HPV. Adequate knowledge of HPV was observed in 47.4% of participants, whereas 52.6% of participants had inadequate knowledge. When we categorized the participants’ knowledge of HPV against their demographics, significance associations were detected between respondents’ knowledge of HPV and marital status (P < .0001), region (P < .0001), and education level (P = .024). On the other hand, no statistical correlation was demonstrated with participants’ age (P = .530), having children (P = .066), or occupation (P = .390; Table 2).
Table 2.
Association between the participants’ demographics and their knowledge regarding HPV (N = 627).
| Demographics | Total N (%) | Knowledge | (Chi-Square) P-value |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inadequate (%) | Adequate (%) | |||
| Age | ||||
| 20–25 | 166 (26.5) | 95 (57.2) | 71 (42.8) | (2.210) |
| 26–35 | 170 (27.0) | 86 (50.6) | 84 (49.4) | .530 |
| 36–45 | 201 (32.1) | 105 (52.2) | 96 (47.8) | |
| >46 | 90 (14.4) | 44 (48.9) | 46 (51.1) | |
| Marital status | ||||
| Single | 218 (34.8) | 127 (58.3) | 91 (41.7) | (38.556) |
| Married | 343 (54.7) | 192 (56.0) | 151 (44.0) | <.0001** |
| Divorce | 37 (5.9) | 6 (16.2) | 31 (83.8) | |
| Widow/er | 29 (4.6) | 5 (17.2) | 24 (82.8) | |
| Family children member | ||||
| None | 256 (40.8) | 148 (57.8) | 108 (42.2) | |
| 1 | 43 (6.9) | 23 (53.5) | 20 (46.5) | |
| 2 | 86 (13.7) | 43 (50.0) | 43 (50.0) | (10.339) |
| 3 | 79 (12.6) | 34 (43.0) | 45 (57.0) | .066 |
| 4 | 159 (25.4) | 78 (49.1) | 81 (50.9) | |
| Prefer not tell | 4 (0.6) | 4 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Region in Saudi Arabia | ||||
| Riyadh | 206 (32.9) | 126 (61.2) | 80 (38.8) | |
| Makkah | 69 (11.0) | 35 (50.7) | 34 (49.3) | |
| Eastern region | 41 (6.5) | 25 (61.0) | 16 (39.0) | |
| Qassim | 30 (4.8) | 0 (0.0) | 30 (100.0) | |
| Madina | 27 (4.3) | 13 (48.1) | 14 (51.9) | (63.148) |
| Albaha | 24 (3.8) | 7 (29.2) | 17 (70.8) | <.0001** |
| Assir | 31 (4.9) | 20 (64.5) | 11 (35.5) | |
| Jazan | 96 (15.3) | 50 (52.1) | 46 (47.9) | |
| Najran | 22 (3.5) | 13 (59.1) | 9 (40.9) | |
| Ha’il | 23 (3.7) | 10 (43.5) | 13 (56.5) | |
| Aljouf | 26 (4.1) | 21 (80.8) | 5 (19.2) | |
| Northern border region | 32 (5.1) | 10 (31.3) | 22 (68.8) | |
| Education levels | ||||
| Less than secondary | 4 (0.6) | 4 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Secondary | 131 (20.9) | 71 (54.2) | 60 (45.8) | (11.263) |
| Diploma | 67 (10.7) | 32 (47.8) | 35 (52.2) | .024* |
| Bachelor | 235 (37.5) | 138 (58.7) | 97 (41.3) | |
| Postgraduate | 190 (30.3) | 89 (46.8) | 101 (53.2) | |
| Occupation | ||||
| Unemployed | 263 (41.9) | 146 (55.5) | 117 (44.5) | (1.884) |
| Non-healthcare | 129 (20.6) | 68 (527) | 61 (47.3) | .390 |
| Healthcare professional | 235 (37.5) | 116 (49.4) | 119 (50.6) | |
P < .05.
P < .001.
When asked about their beliefs regarding HPV and cervical cancer, two-thirds (66.7%) of participants did not believe that HPV vaccination is safe, and 61.7% of them requested a declaration proving that HPV vaccination is safe. This belief has a strong influence after COVID-19 vaccination, which is believed to cause several adverse effects. Moreover, over half of the participants were not concerned about HPV vaccination in either the short or long term (53.7% and 52.3%, respectively). Regarding the group approving of vaccination, the majority of participants believed that both genders should be vaccinated (67.5%). In contrast, most of the participants were not aware of the best age range for vaccination (80.1%), or who should make the decision (61.2%). Remarkably, the majority (86.8%) of participants required further data about the role of HPV in healthcare.
Of the participants, more than three-fifths (60.7%) did not believe that HPV vaccination could minimize and prevent female reproductive cancers, though 39.3% of participants did demonstrate adequate belief. To distinguish the role of demographics in participants’ beliefs, a strong correlation was established between respondents’ beliefs and their age (P = .004), marital status (P < .0001), having children (P = .006), region (P < .0001), education level (P = .003), and occupation (P = .006; Table 3).
Table 3.
Association between the participants’ demographics and their belief level regarding HPV (N = 627).
| Demographics | Total N (%) | Beliefs | (Chi-Square) P-value |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inadequate (%) | Adequate (%) | |||
| Age | ||||
| 20–25 | 166 (26.5) | 103 (62.0) | 63 (38.0) | (13.168) |
| 26–35 | 170 (27.0) | 96 (56.5) | 74 (43.5) | .004** |
| 36–45 | 201 (32.1) | 121 (60.2) | 80 (39.8) | |
| >46 | 90 (14.4) | 36 (40.0) | 54 (60.0) | |
| Marital status | ||||
| Single | 218 (34.8) | 140 (64.2) | 78 (35.8) | (44.091) |
| Married | 343 (54.7) | 192 (56.0) | 151 (44.0) | <.0001*** |
| Divorce | 37 (5.9) | 24 (64.9) | 13 (35.1) | |
| Widow/er | 29 (4.6) | 0 (0.0) | 29 (100.0) | |
| Family children member | ||||
| None | 256 (40.8) | 157 (61.3) | 99 (38.7) | |
| 1 | 43 (6.9) | 24 (55.8) | 19 (44.2) | |
| 2 | 86 (13.7) | 57 (66.3) | 29 (33.7) | (16.390) |
| 3 | 79 (12.6) | 40 (50.6) | 39 (49.4) | .006** |
| 4 | 159 (25.4) | 74 (46.5) | 85 (53.5) | |
| Prefer not tell | 4 (0.6) | 4 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Region in Saudi Arabia | ||||
| Riyadh | 206 (32.9) | 133 (64.6) | 73 (35.4) | |
| Makkah | 69 (11.0) | 47 (68.1) | 22 (31.9) | |
| Eastern region | 41 (6.5) | 20 (48.8) | 21 (51.2) | |
| Qassim | 30 (4.8) | 17 (56.7) | 13 (43.3) | |
| Madina | 27 (4.3) | 27 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | (119.793) |
| Albaha | 24 (3.8) | 7 (29.2) | 17 (70.8) | .0001*** |
| Assir | 31 (4.9) | 19 (61.3) | 12 (38.7) | |
| Jazan | 96 (15.3) | 66 (68.8) | 30 (31.3) | |
| Najran | 22 (3.5) | 0 (0.0) | 22 (100.0) | |
| Ha’il | 23 (3.7) | 10 (43.5) | 13 (56.5) | |
| Aljouf | 26 (4.1) | 10 (38.5) | 16 (61.5) | |
| Northern Border region | 32 (5.1) | 0 (0.0) | 32 (100.0) | |
| Education levels | ||||
| Less than secondary | 4 (0.6) | 4 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Secondary | 131 (20.9) | 84 (64.1) | 47 (35.9) | (15.916) |
| Diploma | 67 (10.7) | 27 (40.3) | 40 (59.7) | .003** |
| Bachelor | 235 (37.5) | 133 (56.6) | 102 (43.4) | |
| Postgraduate | 190 (30.3) | 112 (58.9) | 78 (41.1) | |
| Occupation | ||||
| Unemployed | 263 (41.9) | 138 (52.5) | 125 (47.5) | (10.170) |
| Non-healthcare | 129 (20.6) | 89 (69.0) | 40 (31.0) | .006** |
| Healthcare professional | 235 (37.5) | 106 (45.1) | 129 (54.9) | |
P < .05.
P < .01.
P < .001.
4. Discussion
This nationwide cross-sectional study demonstrated that Saudi women had generally limited knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer, with only 47.4% of participants demonstrating adequate knowledge. Participants also exhibited suboptimal beliefs regarding HPV vaccination, particularly concerning vaccine safety and its role in cervical cancer prevention, despite a strong interest in obtaining additional information about HPV and vaccination. Significant associations were identified between knowledge and participants’ marital status, region, and educational level, while beliefs were significantly associated with age, marital status, having children, region, educational level, and occupation. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational and public health interventions to improve HPV awareness, strengthen confidence in HPV vaccination, and support informed decision-making among Saudi women.
Despite being the third most common disease among Saudi women between the ages of 15 and 44, there isn’t a systematic nationwide screening program for cervical cancer.[16] In the present study, participants’ knowledge of cervical cancer prevalence was adequate (47.4%), as per other research conducted in Saudi Arabia.[12,17,18] The result is also consistent with the results of research in other Arabic countries, such as Oman, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.[13,19,20] The Ministry of Health was the preferred source of information for survey participants (33.0%), followed by social media (30%). These results are similar to those of the research carried out among young adult women in Italy, which reported that the main and most reliable source of information was healthcare professionals.[21] It demonstrates that national awareness and education agendas require further promotion in Saudi Arabia to reach the general public and thus expand their knowledge and awareness of HPV vaccination. Remarkably, social media was the second most prevalent source of knowledge on cervical cancer, and it is now developing into an essential platform for educating the community about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine, particularly presently that it is one of the most convenient and fastest methods to transmit information. Therefore, healthcare professionals might potentially make effective use of it, assuming that information is well prepared and disseminated. The absence of cervical cancer detection and Pap smear screening in primary healthcare has resulted in a lack of awareness about cervical cancer. Moreover, educational level was significantly associated with HPV knowledge (P = .024). This increased level of awareness could lead to better health outcomes and be crucial for boosting acceptability of the HPV vaccine. Overall, married participants with a higher academic background had a better understanding of HPV and its consequences, such as cervical cancer.
The analysis of participants’ beliefs uncovered a significant distrust in HPV vaccine safety, a sentiment linked to demographic characteristics such as marital status, age, and region. A notable 66.7% of participants questioned the vaccine’s safety, with a majority calling for an official safety guarantee. This finding suggests that the obstacle to vaccination is not merely informational but fundamentally rooted in a deficit of institutional trust. To overcome this, public health initiatives must prioritize trust-building measures. This could be achieved by enlisting credible messengers, such as respected medical bodies and religious figures, to vouch for the vaccine’s safety and align its promotion with the sociocultural values prevalent in the Saudi community.
Although several previous HPV research studies have targeted specific groups of participants or regions, in Saudi Arabia,[12,18,22,23] this study targeted young women across the whole country. Responses to this study were collected from 12 different regions in Saudi Arabia so as to support the generalizability of participant outcomes related to HPV. When we analyzed the associations between these different groups and HPV knowledge, significant associations were detected. This may indicate the importance of healthcare system education campaigns related to HPV targeting Saudi women. However, current HPV healthcare campaigns still lag behind campaigns in developed countries such as the UK, the USA, and Australia.[24] Therefore, further work is required to improve the public’s knowledge and awareness regarding the importance of HPV vaccination, which can enhance overall outcomes and prevent cervical cancer.
The HPV vaccine is extremely efficient in avoiding infections with the varieties of HPV that cause around 90% of cervical malignancies, as well as cancers of the anus, penis, vulva, vagina, and oropharynx. According to research, if administered at the proper age, the HPV vaccination can prevent more than 90% of HPV-related cancers.[25] Nonetheless, similar to numerous other vaccines, the HPV vaccine exhibits some minor adverse effects, including tenderness, inflammation, arm edema, pyrexia, nausea, and myalgia or arthralgia. Our results indicate that more than two-thirds of respondents to the present study did not believe that HPV vaccination is safe and requested a declaration of its safety. Similarly, 86.8% of participants intended to learn more about the role of HPV in healthcare. This indicates that the country’s healthcare system should provide more information to the public about HPV vaccination. When we examined the distribution of factors affecting knowledge of HPV, respondents’ beliefs related to HPV were the most dominant factor, which is in accordance with previous work.[12] Campaigns and strategies must be launched to improve the appropriateness of the HPV vaccine while simultaneously making it available to qualified persons, since it is currently receiving a low level of acceptability.
A major strength of this study is the inclusion of participants from 12 regions across Saudi Arabia, improving the generalizability of the findings. It is the first comprehensive study in Saudi Arabia to analyze knowledge, attitudes, and awareness concerning cervical cancer and HPV in 12 regions together. The findings of this study may thus be applied to the majority of the Saudi population. Respondents’ marital status, education status, and region were significantly related to knowledge and beliefs regarding HPV vaccination (P < .05).
This study has some limitations. Because of the cross-sectional design, causal relationships between participant characteristics and HPV knowledge or beliefs cannot be established. It is conceivable that participants shared a few responses. Secondly, the questionnaire included several crucial questions about HPV awareness and knowledge. Thirdly, the quantity of questions was limited in order to complete the task within a short period. Finally, as the questionnaire was conducted by themselves, individuals could only express what they believed was suitable, instead of how they certainly felt. The questionnaire was answered at home, and some individuals likely looked up information online before replying.
5. Conclusion
This study demonstrated that knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer and HPV vaccination among Saudi women remains suboptimal, with fewer than half of the participants demonstrating adequate knowledge. Participants also exhibited inadequate beliefs regarding HPV vaccination, particularly concerning vaccine safety, despite expressing a strong interest in obtaining additional information about HPV and its prevention. Knowledge was significantly associated with marital status, region, and educational level, while beliefs were significantly associated with age, marital status, having children, region, educational level, and occupation. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational and awareness programs to improve HPV-related knowledge, address misconceptions regarding HPV vaccination, and promote informed decision-making among Saudi women. Future public health initiatives should strengthen the dissemination of evidence-based information through trusted healthcare and public health channels to improve awareness and support HPV prevention strategies in Saudi Arabia.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Deanship of Scientific Research at Shaqra University for supporting this work. The authors also would like to thank Proofreading Education Inc for the English language editing.
Author contributions
Conceptualization: Yousif A. Kariri, Ibrahim A. Kuriry, Hassan A. Albargy, Fatmah A. Keraryi, Mansour A. Alsaleem.
Data curation: Yousif A. Kariri, Ibrahim A. Kuriry, Hassan A. Albargy, Fatmah A. Keraryi, Mansour A. Alsaleem.
Formal analysis: Yousif A. Kariri, Ibrahim A. Kuriry, Mansour A. Alsaleem.
Funding acquisition: Yousif A. Kariri.
Investigation: Yousif A. Kariri, Fatmah A. Keraryi.
Methodology: Yousif A. Kariri, Hassan A. Albargy.
Project administration: Yousif A. Kariri.
Resources: Yousif A. Kariri, Mansour A. Alsaleem.
Software: Yousif A. Kariri.
Supervision: Yousif A. Kariri.
Validation: Yousif A. Kariri.
Visualization: Yousif A. Kariri.
Writing – original draft: Yousif A. Kariri, Ibrahim A. Kuriry, Hassan A. Albargy, Fatmah A. Keraryi, Mansour A. Alsaleem.
Writing – review & editing: Yousif A. Kariri, Ibrahim A. Kuriry, Hassan A. Albargy, Fatmah A. Keraryi, Mansour A. Alsaleem.
Abbreviations:
- HPV
- human papilloma virus.
The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to declare.
This Study obtained ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee at Shaqra University, in accordance with the Helsinki declaration (ERC_SU_S_202400049). All participants were provided with detailed information about the study and gave written informed consent form prior to participation. Participation was voluntary, and confidentially was strictly maintained.
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the online version of this article (http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000050955).
How to cite this article: Kariri YA, Kuriry IA, Albargy HA, Keraryi FA, Alsaleem MA. Sociodemographic correlates of human papilloma virus (HPV) and cervical cancer knowledge among Saudi women: A nationwide assessment. Medicine 2026;105:40(e50955).
Contributor Information
Ibrahim A. Kuriry, Email: ikuriry@moh.gov.sa.
Hassan A. Albargy, Email: halbargy@su.edu.sa.
Fatmah A. Keraryi, Email: fkeraryi@moh.gov.sa.
Mansour A. Alsaleem, Email: masliem@qu.edu.sa.
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