255140 Alternative settings for HPV vaccine delivery: Views of parents and their adolescent sons

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 12:34 PM - 12:36 PM

Annie-Laurie McRee, DrPH , Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Paul L. Reiter, PhD , Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
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: One potentially effective strategy to increase low uptake of HPV vaccine among adolescents is to offer vaccination in settings other than the traditional medical home, such as schools and pharmacies. METHODS: A national (U.S.) sample of parents of adolescent males ages 11-17 years (n=506) and their sons (n=391) completed our online surveys in Fall 2010. Most parents were less than 45 years old (61%), female (54%), and non-Hispanic white (67%). We identified correlates of parents' and sons' comfort with HPV vaccination in alternative settings (pharmacies and schools) using multivariate regression. RESULTS: About one-third of parents (37%) and a quarter of sons (23%) were comfortable with sons receiving HPV vaccine in alternative settings. Parents' and sons' ratings of comfort with vaccination in alternative settings were correlated (r=.50, p<.001), though parents were more comfortable than sons (p<.001). Both groups were more comfortable with HPV vaccination in alternative settings if the sons had not recently visited their healthcare providers or if sons had previously received vaccines at school (all p<.05). Both parents and sons reported that convenience was a benefit of vaccination in alternative settings but were concerned that the sons' doctors would not receive information about any vaccines delivered in such settings. CONCLUSIONS: Offering HPV vaccine in alternative settings may increase vaccination, especially among adolescents who do not have regular healthcare visits. Our findings highlight factors that should be addressed to maximize HPV vaccination in alternative settings.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify correlates of comfort with HPV vaccination in schools and pharmacies among parents and their adolescent sons By the end of the session, participants will be able to describe parents’ and sons’ perceived benefits and barriers for vaccination in alternative settings

Keywords: Cancer Prevention, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I helped design the study and survey instruments, formulated the research question, conducted all analyses, and drafted the abstract and manuscript for this presentation. I hold a doctorate in public health and have been conducting research on HPV vaccine and adolescent health for several years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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