A Qualitative Investigation of HPV Vaccination Acceptance Among College Males

Background: HPV is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections in the United States. Recently, an FDA-approved vaccine to protect men against infection from HPV types 16 and 18 was made available. Together, these two strains of HPV account for as much as two-thirds of all cases of cervical dysplasia. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that would facilitate or hinder the acceptance of the HPV vaccine for college men.

Methods: Male college students were recruited from two higher educational institutions located in the Southeastern U.S. Recruitment occurred primarily by flyers posted at the college and university campus. Potentially eligible men contacted project staff and were assessed for eligibility based on two criteria (1) self-identified male college student, and (2) were aged 18 years or older. Participants (N=30) completed semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach.

Results: A common theme was if the HPV vaccine was affordable and convenient to obtain, participants would be more inclined to get vaccinated. Some participants reported that their sex partners' health and their own health status would be important motivations for HPV vaccination. Potential side effects were not reported as a deterrent for vaccination.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that convenience and affordability were the two primary factors associated with intention to receive HPV vaccine. Secondarily, males also stated that altruism (protecting their sex partners from being infected) as well as protecting their own health would also enhance the likelihood of their vaccination.