HPV vaccine-related myths encountered in Romanian clinical practice: a cross-sectional survey of family doctors.

Introduction: Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination is a key strategy for preventing HPV-related cancers, yet vaccine hesitancy remains a challenge due to persistent myths and misconceptions. This study aimed to identify the most frequently encountered HPV vaccine-related myths in clinical practice from the perspective of family doctors and to assess differences in their prevalence between urban and rural populations.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among family doctors in Romania who reported common myths encountered when discussing HPV vaccination with parents and women eligible for catch-up vaccination. The analysis focused on identifying the most prevalent perceived myths and assessing differences between urban and rural settings, age groups and genders, using Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by post-hoc Dunn's tests with Holm correction to account for multiple comparisons, as well as Chi-square tests.

Results: The most frequently reported myths overall were "The HPV vaccine is only for girls" (mean score±SD, 2.91±1.27), "The HPV vaccine has severe and long-term side effects" (mean score±SD, 2.83±1.27), and "There are too many new vaccines" (mean score±SD, 2.77±1.3). Rural respondents reported significantly higher belief in concerns related to vaccine safety, effectiveness, increasing number of vaccines, necessity in monogamous individuals, fear of injections, and concerns about promiscuity, particularly in their perception of parents of adolescent girls.

Conclusions: Family doctors consider that persistent myths continue to fuel vaccine hesitancy, especially in rural areas. Strengthening family doctors' communication skills through motivational interviewing and evidence-based counseling is essential. Public health efforts should focus on targeted educational interventions and social prescription tools to improve vaccine acceptance and reduce the burden of HPV-related diseases.