HPV awareness and vaccine decision-making: Healthcare professionals vs social media in a cross-sectional study from Italy

Introduction: Social media is used increasingly as a source of health information. This study explored how women access information about human papillomavirus (HPV), and whether the use of social media influences vaccine decision-making. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2018 and March 2019 among 90 women aged 18-45 years attending the University Hospital of Palermo, Sicily (Italy). A 25-item questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge about HPV and vaccination, and sources of information. Descriptive statistics and odds ratios (OR) were calculated for behavioural risk factors associated with HPV infection. Results: Overall, 89 % of women reported that they were aware of HPV, and 70 % had heard about HPV vaccination. Only 14 % were vaccinated. Physicians (34 %) and television (20 %) were the main sources of information, while the Internet accounted for 18 %, and social media was rarely used for HPV information (59 % of participants reported no use of social media for HPV information). Most participants (63 %) did not know how to access vaccination services. Risk factors significantly associated with HPV infection included early sexual debut [≤17 years; OR = 3.0, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.56-5.7], multiple partners in the past year (OR = 2.3, 95 % CI 1.6-2.5), and low educational level (OR = 2.8-3.1). Discussion: Despite relatively high awareness of HPV, vaccination uptake was low, and social media played only a marginal role in shaping knowledge and decision-making among women. Healthcare professionals remained the main trusted source of information. The gap between awareness and actual vaccination highlights the need for targeted campaigns and easier access to vaccination services. Conclusion: Strategies to increase HPV vaccine uptake should prioritize direct communication from healthcare providers and improve service accessibility, while social media currently appears to have limited influence.