Awareness and Perception of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Among Secondary School Girls in Akwa Ibom State

Background: Human papillomavirus vaccination is a proven primary prevention strategy for cervical cancer; however, awareness and acceptance in the South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria remain insufficiently characterised. This study assesses awareness and perception of the HPV vaccine among senior secondary school girls in Akwa Ibom State. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional descriptive study enrolled 300 female students selected from six secondary schools by multistage sampling. A self-administered questionnaire assessed HPV knowledge, vaccine awareness, and willingness to receive vaccination. Descriptive and chi-square analyses were performed. Results: Overall awareness of HPV and its vaccine was low. Exposure to health education in school was the strongest predictor of awareness. Concerns about vaccine safety and perceived lack of relevance were the dominant barriers to willingness. Parental consent was identified as a key enabling factor. Conclusion: Low HPV vaccine awareness among secondary school girls in Akwa Ibom State highlights the need to incorporate HPV education into school health curricula. Family medicine outreach teams should engage schools as vaccination delivery platforms to increase adolescent access to cervical cancer prevention. Keywords: HPV vaccine, cervical cancer, secondary school girls, Akwa Ibom, awareness