Acceptability of the human papillomavirus vaccine and reasons for non-vaccination among parents of adolescent sons

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 32; no. 31; pp. 3883 - 3885
• Main Authors: Donahue, Kelly L, Stupiansky, Nathan W, Alexander, Andreia B, Zimet, Gregory D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 30-06-2014; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adolescence; Adolescent; Adolescents; Allergy and Immunology; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cervical cancer; Child; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health care; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Healthcare providers; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Immunization; Male; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control; Papillomavirus Vaccines - administration & dosage; Parents - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; United States; Vaccination; Vaccination - psychology; Vaccine acceptability; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Virology; United States; United States > US; Adolescence; Human papillomavirus; Vaccine acceptability; Healthcare providers; Vaccination; Human; Papillomavirus; Virus; Adolescent; Vaccine; Papovaviridae
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.05.035

Abstract Routine administration of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been recommended for 11–12-year-old males since 2011, but coverage remains low. In a U.S. national sample of parents of 11–17-year-old males ( n = 779), 78.6% of parents reported their sons had not received the HPV vaccine. The most common reason for non-vaccination (56.7%) was “My doctor or healthcare provider has not recommended it.” Parents citing only logistical reasons for non-vaccination (e.g., lack of recommendation, access, or education, n = 384) reported significantly higher vaccine acceptability than parents reporting a combination of attitudinal (e.g., concerns about vaccine safety or efficacy) and logistical barriers ( n = 92), while parents citing only attitudinal barriers ( n = 73) reported the lowest level of vaccine acceptability. In sum, many parents are willing but have not vaccinated sons due to logistical barriers, most commonly lack of healthcare provider recommendation. These findings have important implications for increasing HPV vaccination coverage among adolescent males.