Assessing knowledge and awareness levels regarding cervical cancer and HPV vaccination in the Jammu regions

Ridhima Jasrotia; Isha Kashyap; Jyotsna Suri; Chirag Chopra; Atif Khurshid Wani; Nazli Tizro; Abhineet Goyal; Reena Singh

doi:10.18502/ijm.v16i4.16311

Ridhima Jasrotia Department of Microbiology, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Isha Kashyap Department of Pathology, Swastik Diagnostic Laboratory, Dogra Hall, Jammu, India
Jyotsna Suri Department of Pathology, Govt.Medical College, Jammu, India
Chirag Chopra Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Atif Khurshid Wani Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Nazli Tizro Department of the Environment, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and ResearchBranch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abhineet Goyal Department of Biotechnology, School of Sciences, Sanjeev Agrawal Global Educational University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Reena Singh Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v16i4.16311

Keywords: Cervical cancer; Human papillomavirus (HPV); HPV vaccine; Real time polymerase chain reaction; Vaccination

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Cervical cancer global burden is highly skewed towards poor countries primarily due to lack of awareness, poor screening, and low uptake of prophylactic vaccines. The purpose of our study is to educate and raise awareness among young girls and women about the importance of cervical screening and HPV vaccination.

Materials and Methods: The present study, conducted from January 2023 to December 2023, focused on students, teachers, housewives, and healthcare professionals in the Jammu region to assess their awareness of cervical cancer and the HPV vac- cine. HPV DNA testing was carried out using the Truenat Real-Time PCR method at Swastik Diagnostic Laboratory, Jammu.

Results: Knowledge of cervical cancer, awareness of the HPV virus, and the vaccination status of women were assessed in survey. In the HPV screening test, out of 2,400 women, 106 tested positive for HPV. Among these 106 women, 19% had a high viral load (Ct < 20), 11% had a low viral load (25 ≤ Ct < 30), indicating a low relative concentration of HPV viruses, 40% had a medium viral load (20 ≤ Ct < 25), and 30% had very low viral loads (Ct ≥ 30).

Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of routine cervical screenings, such as Pap smears and HPV tests, for the early detection of cervical cancer. There is an urgent need to implement cervical cancer screening and vaccination pro- grams in the Jammu region.