255118 A Longitudinal Study of HPV Vaccination among Adolescent Males

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 12:30 PM - 12:31 PM

Paul L. Reiter , Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Annie-Laurie McRee, DrPH , Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Jessica K. Pepper , Health Behavior and Health Education, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC
Noel T. Brewer, PhD , Health Behavior, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC
BACKGROUND: HPV vaccine became available for males in the U.S. in 2009. We conducted a longitudinal study to examine HPV vaccine uptake among adolescent males and identify predictors of vaccination.

METHODS: In Fall of 2010 and 2011, a national sample of parents of adolescent males ages 11-17 (n=327) and their sons (n=228) completed online surveys. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of HPV vaccination that occurred between baseline and follow-up.

RESULTS: Only 2% of sons had received any doses of HPV vaccine at baseline, with an increase to 7% at follow-up. Parents were more likely to report HPV vaccination among their sons if they had talked more with their sons about the vaccine (OR=1.93, 95%CI: 1.00-3.74). Non-Hispanic white parents were less likely to report HPV vaccination (OR=0.31, 95%CI: 0.12-0.79). Willingness to get sons HPV vaccine decreased from baseline to follow-up among parents (42% vs. 28%, p<0.001) and sons (29% vs. 18%, p=0.001). At baseline, the most common reasons why parents had not vaccinated their sons were not knowing boys could get HPV vaccine (23%) and sons not having sex yet (19%). At follow-up, parents most commonly reported not knowing enough about HPV vaccine (23%) and not receiving a physician recommendation for vaccination (17%).

CONCLUSIONS: HPV vaccine uptake is extremely low among males and willingness to vaccinate is falling. Increasing knowledge about HPV vaccine for males and physician recommendation for vaccination may help increase vaccination.

FUNDING: Supported by a research grant from Merck, with support from UNC Lineberger.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss HPV vaccine uptake among adolescent males 2. Identify longitudinal predictors of HPV vaccination 3. Describe reasons why adolescent males are not receiving HPV vaccine

Keywords: Immunizations, Cancer Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am co-PI on the study this abstract is based on. I am an assistant professor with extensive research experience in HPV, HPV vaccine, and HPV-related cancers.
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
Merck Behavioral Science co-PI on a research grant

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3217.0: HPV Vaccination among Adolescent Males: A National U.S. Study