title: Vaccine Misconceptions and Low HPV Vaccination Take-up Rates in Singapore.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HPV vaccination in Singapore is voluntary and physician prescription-based. This study investigated the current status and intention for HPV vaccination among Singapore nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  All female nurses in a general hospital were given an anonymous questionnaire on HPV vaccination experience and intention of vaccinating their daughters. The influence of age, knowledge and perceived-risk of cervical cancer, and cultural background on mother's intention of vaccinating their daughters was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 2,000 nurses, 1,622 (81.1%) responded and analysis was performed on 1,611 with valid data. They showed good awareness on association of cervical cancer with multiple sexual partners (81.9%), history of sexually transmissible diseases (78.2%), and history of genital warts/HPV infection (73.5%), and on cervical cancer preventive effects of HPV vaccination (54.6%). The prevailing misconceptions of the vaccines were: investigational nature (38.9%), side effects (27.9%) and indicated for women at high risk for cervical cancer (20.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Misconceptions on the nature, role and safety of HPV vaccines low vaccine up-take rates and daughters. Dissemination of adequate and accurate HPV vaccine information and a review for school-based vaccination are needed for optimal delivery of HPV vaccines in Singapore.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore E-mail : tay.sun.kuie@sgh.com.sg.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tesalona
authors.forename: N Mohamed
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: E Y S
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: S Mohd
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Najib
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009679:Nuclear Family / Q000523:psychology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines