Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of School Nurses in the United Arab Emirates about HPV Infection and Vaccine

Background: In 2008, the Health Authority in Abu Dhabi (the capital of the United Arab Emirates) introducedHPV vaccine free of charge for high school girls entering grade 11, becoming the first state in the Middle Eastto do so. The objectives of this study were to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of school nurses in theEmirate of Abu Dhabi about HPV infection and the vaccine. Materials and
Methods: A quantitative study wasdesigned and conducted from June to August 2012 in Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Data were collected through directface to face interviews. from one hundred and twenty five nurses.
Results: Knowledge of HPV infection and HPVvaccine was almost universal among the school nurses (97%). The majority of the participants (71%) thoughtthat the HPV vaccine was good. Cultural unacceptability (45%) and lack of women’s concern about their ownhealth (21%) were rated as the top barriers for the successful introduction of the vaccine in the UAE. Morethan half of the sampled nurses (58%) have either given this vaccine to school girls or taken it themselves. Themajority (95%) did not come across any side effects from the vaccine. The level of qualification and the place ofwork did not significantly affect the correct knowledge of HPV infection or cervical cancer prevention methods.
Conclusions: The knowledge and attitude of the sampled school nurses in Abu Dhabi State about HPV infectionand vaccine is very good in both the public and private sectors. However, a knowledge gap in cervical cancerscreening methods was identified.