Assessment of Caregivers’ Knowledge and Acceptance of the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine in Maihula Community, Bali Lga, Taraba State, Nigeria

This study is use to Assessment of Caregivers’ Knowledge and Acceptance of the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine in Maihula Community, Bali LGA, Taraba State, Nigeria. Human papilloma virus is a significant cause of certain cancer such as anal cancer, cervical cancer and genital warts etc. and vaccinating is a means of preventing the occurrence. The objective of this study is to assess the level of knowledge among care givers, to determine the level of awareness among care givers and to identify factors influencing knowledge and acceptance of HPV among care givers. In order to achieve this objectives above, the research employed a descriptive survey design. The sample size was 222 respondents, selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using frequency tables, percentages, and Chi-square tests to determine associations. Findings revealed that 67.5% of respondents had heard of HPV, and 86.7% were aware of the HPV vaccine. Furthermore, 72.1% expressed willingness to vaccinate their children, and 65.3% believed the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks, though only 36.0% had vaccinated their children. Cost, family influence, and fear of side effects were identified as key barriers to vaccine acceptance. The test of association showed that educational level was significantly associated with knowledge of the HPV vaccine (p = 0.001), while sex (p = 0.041), age (p = 0.002), and educational level (p = 0.000) were significantly associated with acceptance of the vaccine. Female caregivers, younger respondents, and those with higher education were more likely to accept the vaccine, whereas occupation showed no significant association with either knowledge or acceptance. The study concludes that while knowledge and acceptance of the HPV vaccine are generally high, targeted health education for less-educated and older caregivers is essential to improve vaccine uptake. It recommends strengthening community sensitization, subsidizing vaccine costs, and leveraging healthcare providers to address misconceptions.