Magnitude and factors associated with the uptake of the HPV vaccine among adolescent girls aged 13-17 years in Sheema Municipality, Sheema District. A cross-sectional study

Abstract Introduction Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Globally, HPV affects millions of women in their late teens and early 20s. The use of the HPV vaccine is the only way to avert this trend. However, the uptake of HPV vaccination is reportedly low in Uganda. This study therefore assessed the magnitude and factors associated with the uptake of the HPV vaccine among adolescent girls aged 13–17 years in secondary schools in Sheema Municipality, Sheema District. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 293 adolescent girls aged 13–17 years in secondary schools in the Sheema Municipality. A pretested questionnaire was used for data collection. A proportional sampling technique was used to determine the number of adolescent girls selected from each school. Simple random sampling was used to enrol the respondents in the study. The data were entered into Microsoft Excel and analysed using Stata version 14. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with HPV vaccination uptake. Variables with p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results More than half (66%) of the participants had received the recommended two doses of the HPV vaccine. The factors associated with the uptake of the HPV vaccine included perceived risk of HPV (aOR = 1.73, 95% CI: [1.00–2.99], p = 0.048), receiving health education (aOR = 2.17, 95% CI: [1.23–3.83], p = 0.007), having parents/caretakers with secondary education (aOR:6.61, 95% CI: 1.57–27.8, p = 0.010), receiving tertiary education (aOR:5.56, 95% CI: 1.33–23.1, p = 0.019) and living in urban areas (aOR = 0.37, 95% CI: [0.21–0.65], p = 0.001). Conclusion This study revealed relatively high HPV vaccine uptake among adolescent girls, although it was still below the highest global rates. Completion of the HPV vaccine was more likely among those with educated parents, received health education, and those with perceived risk of HPV, whereas urban residency was linked to lower uptake. To improve vaccination rates, efforts should focus on increasing awareness through school-based health programs, conducting awareness campaigns on HPV risks and vaccine benefits, and addressing barriers to vaccine access in urban areas.