title: Mothers' knowledge and attitudes about HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer which is one of the most preventable cancers is an important public health problem worldwide, and especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine knowledge and attitudes about the HPV vaccination of mothers with 0- to 18-year old children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Written approval was taken from the local authorities. The study subjects consisted of 799 mothers who agreed to participate. The data were collected via a "Personal Information Form" which included 30 questions that were prepared by the researchers themselves in line with the literature. The data were collected by face to face interviews with the mothers. Analyses were performed using commercial software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the mothers who participated in the study was 32.0 ± 6.52, and 88.1% reported no information about HPV, and 83.5% no information about HPV vaccination. Only 0.7% of the mothers had daughters who had HPV vaccination, and 44.3% of the mothers who had sons were found out to be indecisive about having HPV vaccination. There was a significant corelation between the educational status of the mothers and their knowledge about HPV vaccination (p<0.05). However, there was no significant correlation in terms of economic conditions (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggested that mothers had very little information on HPV and HPV vaccination. Knowledge of the disease and its vaccination is an essential factor for the success of the vaccination program. It is of great importance that mothers are trained in this subject by health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nursing, Division of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey E-mail : ndede@sakarya.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Unal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Erkorkmaz
authors.forename: Nursan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cinar
authors.forename: Sevin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altinkaynak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D014421:Turkey; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines