What Influences HPV Vaccine Acceptability and Parental Intent to Vaccinate

Thesis (M.Nurs.), College of Nursing, Washington State UniversityHuman Papillomavirus affects 6.2 million people annually in the United States and is the most common sexually transmitted disease (CDC, 2010). The HPV vaccine was FDA approved for females 9-26 years ofage in 2006 and three years later was approved for use in males age 9-26 years. Since its FDA approval vaccine rates have remained low - around 32% for completion of the vaccine series in the United States (CDC, 2010). The ACIP recommends the vaccine be routinely administered to girls and boys age 11-12 years of age to ensure vaccine series completion before sexual debut. Given the recommended age of routine vaccination, parental consent is required for vaccine administration. This literature review examined parental HPV vaccine acceptability and the intention to vaccinate their sons and daughters with the HPV vaccine. The review revealed that parents have little knowledge of what HPV is or how it is transmitted. Previous concerns about HPV vaccination causing increased sexual promiscuity were found to be held by only a small minority of parents surveyed. The literature showed that parents see health care providers as an important source for vaccine information and look to their health care provider for the recommendation to vaccinate their children