Acceptability of human papillomavirus vaccine among parents of junior middle school students in Jinan, China

Objective: To determine the level of awareness on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and acceptance of HPV vaccination among parents of junior middle school students. Methods: A cross sectional survey employing cluster sampling was conducted in Jinan, Shandong Province of China in January of 2013. Results: A total of 400 parents of junior middle school students participated in the questionnaire survey, among whom 360 (90%) completed valid questionnaires. About 88 (22.63%) parents had ever heard of HPV. Only one in ten (10.2%) knew about HPV vaccine. Parents willing to accept HPV vaccination for children accounted for 40.8%. Factors associated willing to accept HPV vaccination for children among parents were: female parent (AOR: 0.38, 95%CI: 0.21-0.67), having ever heard of HPV vaccine (AOR: 2.38, 95%CI: 1.01-5.61), thinking HPV vaccination should commence before sexual debut(AOR: 2.16, 95%CI: 1.21-3.85), thinking HPV vaccination should commence before 12 years old (AOR: 2.76, 95%CI: 1.02-7.46) or 13-15 years old (AOR: 4.75, 95%CI: 1.79-12.61), concern about suffering from cervical cancer and/or genital warts (AOR: 2.43, 95%CI: 1.31-4.50). About 60% of parents were in favor of future HPV vaccination promoting in China believing that HPV vaccine could efficiently prevent cervical cancer, anal cancer or genital warts, 37.4% of parents with expectation of governmental subsidy and price regulation. Conclusion: Parental awareness level of HPV vaccine and willingness to accept HPV vaccination for children was low. However, the general attitude of many participants toward future promoting of HPV vaccination in China was encouraging, particularly if certain expectations were met