Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 27, 2025

RNAscope for In situ Detection of Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: March 11, 2014
Awareness and Knowledge Among Dental and Medical Undergraduate Students Regarding Human Papilloma Virus and Its
Mayithiri Balaji1, Arun Panwar1, M Adarsh Kudva1
1Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal, IN.
Background:
India is a major contributor to the global burden of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and associated diseases like cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. Hence, it is essential to recognize the existing knowledge pool of current healthcare students about HPV and its preventive measures to translate this into benefits for the society in the future.
Objective:
To determine the awareness and knowledge among dental and medical undergraduate students regarding HPV and its diagnosis and prevention.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study enrolled in 577 dental and undergraduate medical students from a tertiary-care teaching hospital. A questionnaire containing 20 closed-ended multiple-choice questions was used to assess their knowledge regarding HPV and its transmission, cervical cancer and its screening, as well as HPV vaccines and their attitude towards them. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U test, and Chi square test were employed for statistical analysis. p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
The study consisted of 52.68% dental and 47.31% medical students, with a mean age of 20.95 ± 1.82 years, M:F ratio of 0.7:1, and a mean overall score of 10.75 ± 5.18 (average). The mean scores for knowledge about HPV, its vaccination, and its diagnosis were 7.98 ± 3.26 (good), 1.61 ± 0.95 (average), and 1.15 ± 1.16 (average), respectively. These scores showed no significant difference between the courses as well as the genders (p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
Overall, the dental and medical undergraduate students presented an average level of knowledge and awareness regarding HPV and its prevention. This reflects a greater need for educating healthcare professionals in order to have a ripple effect on society at large.
Related Concept Videos
Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Preventive Healthcare Services
Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...

