4 - Vaccine Hesitancy and HPV Vaccination in Rural Communities

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The HPV vaccine protects against nearly 90% of cancer-causing infections. However, the HPV vaccination rates remain suboptimal. This study aimed to examine the association between vaccine hesitancy measures and HPV vaccination among adolescents.
METHODS: Parents of children ages 9-17 years from three rural counties in Virginia participated in the HPV vaccine survey study (n=293). General and HPV-specific vaccine hesitancy was captured using multiple statements. Parents were asked if their child had received the HPV vaccine (yes, no/don’t know). Demographic variables included parents’ age, sex, race, and education level. Index regression models were used to estimate general and HPV-specific vaccine hesitancy indices and the associations with HPV vaccine receipt adjusting for demographic factors.
RESULTS: Nearly 56% of adolescents had a report of HPV vaccine receipt. HPV vaccine hesitancy was significantly related with reduced HPV vaccination (odds ratio = 0.27, 95% confidence interval: 0.08, 0.81). Provider recommendation about the HPV vaccination followed by knowledge of its protection from cancer were the most important factors for HPV vaccine receipt. General vaccine hesitancy was inversely associated with HPV vaccine receipt but was not significantly associated (odds ratio = 0.75, 95% confidence interval: 0.36, 1.51). Certain items in the index, such as worry about side effects and skepticism regarding its safety, were not associated with HPV vaccination status.
CONCLUSIONS: HPV vaccine hesitancy is significantly associated with a lower likelihood of vaccination. The most important factors in HPV vaccine hesitancy index can be targeted for intervention efforts in order to increase the HPV vaccination rate.

Source of Funding: Funded by the National Cancer Institute, NIH (P-30 HPV supplement - Naavaal (PD))