Abstract
Routine vaccination with three doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is recommended for adolescent girls and boys at 11 or 12 years of age; however, vaccine uptake remains suboptimal. To understand the reasons why parents may accept or refuse HPV vaccine for their children at age 11 or 12 years, we conducted a qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents or guardians (n = 45) whose adolescents receive care at an urban, hospital-based primary care practice. Data were analyzed using an iterative thematic approach. We found that many parents expressed high levels of support for HPV vaccine, including a majority who agreed with vaccination at age 11–12 years. Parents recognized that for prevention of consequences of HPV infection, vaccination of their child early in adolescence was desirable conceptually. However, many parents also expressed that in practice, HPV vaccine should be given to adolescents at the onset of sexual activity, a perception that led to preferences to delay administration of HPV vaccine among certain parents. These apparently contradictory views indicate the need for interventions focused on the benefits of vaccination at the recommended ages. Our findings may be useful in providers’ discussions with parents about the vaccine, as pediatric and adolescent health care providers have the unique opportunity to educate parents and clarify misconceptions about vaccination.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grants R21 CA163160, P30 MH062294, T32 AI007210, and CTSA grants UL1 TR000142 and KL2 TR000140 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research. The funders had no role in the design, implementation, or interpretation of this work. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of NIH.
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Hansen, C.E., Credle, M., Shapiro, E.D. et al. “It All Depends”: A Qualitative Study of Parents’ Views of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine for their Adolescents at Ages 11–12 years. J Canc Educ 31, 147–152 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0788-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0788-6