Health Belief Model Based Analysis of Factors Affecting HPV Screening and Vaccination Uptake Among Malaysian Women

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the sexually transmitted infections (STI) that causes cervical cancer. Various preventive strategies exist to curb HPV infection; however, negative beliefs and a low uptake rate prevail. Health belief model is the lens through which factors such as perceived susceptibility (PSU), perceived severity (PSE), health motivation (HM), perceived benefits (PBE), perceived barriers (PBA) and a mediator, HPV knowledge were studied. Methods: An online questionnaire was administered and a pre-test post-test control group design was employed where participants in the intervention group attempted the survey after completing the learning modules, which consists of five animated video lessons each with ten quiz questions, while control group attempted survey questions without prior information. Results: A total of 236 responses were recovered, in which (control = 31. 4% n = 37, intervention = 35. 6% n = 42)6% n = 42)6% n = 42)6% n = 42)6% n = 42)6% n = 42)6% n = 42)6% n = 42) participants have completed their screening sessions and (control=30.5% n=36, intervention=55.9% n=66) have taken vaccines. Meanwhile, 79.2% in the intervention group reported high awareness about HPV compared to control group 73.8%. In the control group, there was a significant correlation between health motivation and intention (HM → I = 0.000) and knowledge does not mediate significant effects on health motivation and intention (HM→ K→ I = 0.173). Upon exposure to intervention, susceptibility (PSU → I = 0.000) and barriers (PBA → I = 0.000) affected their intention to take HPV services. Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) need to be more sensitive to the barriers such as economic, time constraints and promote HPV services by conveying necessary information on cervical cancer among women. Overall, the findings will contribute to the development of effective strategies that will reduce incidence and encourage preventive behavior among Malaysian women.