Parental perceptions and HPV vaccine initiation and completion: A gender comparison using the National Immunization Survey - Teen, 2010 - 2012

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for HPV vaccine uptake in adolescent females in 2007 was met with a 37.2% initiation rate and 17.9% completion rate (receiving 3 doses) in 2008. In 2010, these same rates reached 48.7% and 32.0% respectively.  The 2009 ACIP update added adolescent males to the recommendation.  However trends are less accepting, with 1.4% vaccine initiation in 2010 and 20.8% in 2012.

Objective: Compare male and female, ages 13 – 17 parental perceptions related to HPV and the HPV vaccine, identify gender differences in parental intentions to vaccinate and reasons for not vaccinating in the next 12 months.

The 2010 - 2012 National Immunization Survey - Teen was used to estimate parental intentions and reasons for not vaccinating adolescent children. Multivariable logistic modeling is currently in progress to explore the trends of parental perceptions, initiation and completion by gender.

This cross-sectional study is 52.3% male (N = 105597). About 80% of male parents knew of the HPV vaccine compared to females (89.7%). Nearly 30% of male parents had intentions of vaccinating in the next 12 months compared to 40.8% of female parents.  Of parents with sons who had no intentions of vaccinating, 24.8% responded that the vaccine is not necessary. (p < .05)

HPV vaccine initiation, intentions and completion are higher in adolescent females compared to males post ACIP recommendation.  Public health efforts should aim to increase the understanding of the benefits of the HPV vaccine to adolescent male parents to increase acceptance.