Comparison of knowledge, awareness and intentions to vaccinate against human papillomavirus at two different times of vaccine approval

The FDA approved the first HPV vaccine for males in 2009, while the first vaccine for females was approved in 2006. This study compared intentions to vaccinate against HPV among males and parents of male children in 2009 to the same type of data collected for females and parents of female children in 2006. Participants were randomly selected from a research panel designed to be representative of the US population. Items were included as modules in a rolling monthly survey with independent samples each month. 522 and 635 adults completed surveys in October 2009 and June 2006, respectively. 65% of males had heard of HPV in 2009, compared to 45% of females in 2006. 37% of females heard or saw an advertisement for the vaccine at least once per week in 2006, while only 8.6% of males reported the same in 2009. 50.6% of females intended to get the vaccine for themselves in 2006, compared with 37.4% of males in 2009. 54.2% of parents intended to vaccinate their daughter in 2006, compared to 53.4% of parents of males in 2009. At both times, parents were significantly more likely to vaccinate their children if the vaccine were of little or no cost. Knowledge and awareness of HPV has increased over time, even as reported media exposure dramatically decreased. Initial intentions to vaccinate were lower for males then females, while intentions to vaccinate male verus female children were roughly equal. Cost of the vaccine continues to be a deciding factor for parents.