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This descriptive qualitative study explored Latinx mothers’ acceptance of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for their adolescent children. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a hybrid method of thematic analysis that incorporated deductive and inductive approaches. Twenty-two ( n = 22), mostly foreign-born, Latinx mothers of male and female adolescents participated in the study. Three main themes and nine subthemes emerged from the analyses. Findings identified the need for increased efforts to raise awareness and knowledge among Latinx mothers of the direct benefits of the HPV vaccine for sons, including stressing prevention of HPV-associated cancers in males. Findings also underscore the need for improved health care providers’ communication and recommendation of the HPV vaccine for Latinx adolescent males. Future research should intervene upon the study’s findings to address barriers that remain and affect Latinx mothers’ acceptance and uptake of the HPV vaccine for their children, in particular their sons.

Latinos are the largest minority population group in the United States, and Latino children currently account for one fourth of U.S. children under age 18. Family is a core value in the Latino culture, and fathers play a central role within the family, including making decisions that influence their children’s health. Nonetheless, Latino fathers are often underrepresented in child health research. This study was designed to describe effective strategies to recruit Latino fathers into five child health research studies. Using a data recruitment log, we collected quantitative and qualitative data on recruitment strategies used to reach and enroll Latino fathers into five child health research studies from 2016 to 2020. Methods classified as direct recruitment strategies involved interaction between potential participants with research staff, whereas indirect methods involved no interaction with research staff and potential participants. In total 113 Latino fathers, majority low-income, immigrant, participated in the studies. Direct recruitment methods in combination with snowball sampling were the most successful strategies for recruiting Latino fathers, contributing to approximately 96% ( n = 107) of the total participants. Indirect methods were much less effective, with social media contributing to only 3.6% ( n = 4) of total participants. Not a single participant was recruited through printed materials (e.g., flyers posted or distributed). Furthermore, qualitative findings revealed the importance of culturally and linguistically relevant approaches in efforts to recruit and enroll Latino fathers. Future research should consider directly asking Latino fathers’ preferences for recruitment and participation in child health research.

Despite increasing interest in understanding the factors influencing awareness and acceptability of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among Latino parents, to date limited information is available specific to Central American parents living in the United States (US). Therefore, this pilot cross-sectional study was designed to explore and assess Central American immigrant parents’ awareness, acceptability, and willingness to vaccinate their children against HPV, and interest in participating in future HPV-associated cancer prevention study. Fifty-six Central American parents, majority immigrant (96.4%; n = 54) from four countries, El Salvador—50% (n = 27); Guatemala—25.9% (n = 14); Honduras—22.2% (n = 12); and Panama—1.9% (n = 1) participated in this study. Participants completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire survey in their preferred language (i.e., Spanish or English). A little over half of the participants were mothers (57.1%; n = 32) and parents’ mean age was 43.2 years (SD = 6.4). The majority was married or cohabitating (76.8%, n = 43), and 39.3% (n = 22) reported having two children. Seventy-five percent (n = 42) of parents reported they had heard of the HPV vaccine. Fewer fathers were aware of the HPV vaccine (58.3%; n = 14 vs.87.5%, n = 28; p = 0.01) than mothers. Among parents who had heard of the HPV vaccine (n = 42), 85.7% (n = 36) reported their children had received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. Fewer fathers reported their child had been vaccinated against HPV (64.3%, n = 9 vs. 96.4%, n = 27; p = 0.06) than mothers. Moreover, 90% of parents (n = 18) whose children were unvaccinated reported willingness to vaccinate their adolescent children against HPV if recommended by their child’s physician. Findings indicate parents’ low to moderate awareness of the HPV vaccine, and high willingness to vaccinate their adolescent children if recommended by their child’s physician. Findings also demonstrate fathers’ lower awareness and acceptability of the HPV vaccine than mothers. Despite limitations and the need for more research, findings of this pilot study serve as a valuable first step toward building a knowledge foundation that is needed for developing future studies and interventions targeting Central American immigrant parents living in the US. Future studies can build on the findings of this exploratory study with other research designs and address its limitations by having a larger sample size and accounting for additional factors associated with Central American immigrant parents’ HPV awareness, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and vaccine acceptability from other communities across the US.

Objective: Despite increasing interest in understanding factors influencing awareness, knowledge, and acceptability of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine among Latino parents to date, limited information is available specific to Latino fathers living in the United States. Methods: This descriptive qualitative study explored Latino fathers’ awareness, knowledge, and acceptability of the HPV vaccine for their adolescent children. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a hybrid method of thematic analysis that incorporated deductive and inductive approaches. Results: Nineteen, majority foreign-born Latino fathers (63.2%; n = 12) fathers of male and female adolescents participated in the study. Four main themes and two subthemes emerged from the analyses. Results found fathers’ low awareness and knowledge of HPV and the HPV vaccine. Results also identified fathers’ positive attitude toward vaccines in general. Moreover, results revealed fathers’ trust in healthcare providers. This trust translated into an increased willingness to vaccinate their children against HPV if recommended by their child’s primary healthcare provider. Conclusion: Findings indicate the need for increased efforts to raise awareness and knowledge among Latino fathers of HPV and the HPV vaccine. In addition, findings underscore the critical role of healthcare providers’ recommendation of the HPV vaccine. Given the limited research focused on Latino fathers, this study’s findings are valuable in building a knowledge foundation needed for developing future studies and interventions to promote the HPV vaccine by targeting Latino fathers living in the United States. Future research should quantify Latino fathers' awareness, knowledge, and acceptability of the HPV vaccine for their children, and preferences for educational interventions to promote HPV vaccination.

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Purpose: Parents play a critical decision-making role in vaccinating their children against HPV, and mothers, in particular, are key stakeholders as they are often the parent taking their children to healthcare visits. Given the importance of the HPV vaccination as a cancer prevention strategy, this study was designed to explore Latinx mothers’ suggested strategies to promote vaccine uptake among Latinx parents. Setting and Participants: Community-based in Massachusetts, United States, and Latinx mothers. Design and Methods: Descriptive qualitative research employing individual semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a hybrid method of thematic analysis incorporating deductive and inductive approaches. Results: Twenty-two, majority foreign-born (91%) Latinx mothers of adolescent girls (∼60%) and boys (∼40%) aged 11–19 years participated. Mothers suggested several strategies to promote uptake of the HPV vaccine among Latinx families including healthcare providers’ increased communication and anticipatory guidance addressing factors influencing parents’ HPV vaccination hesitancy, and improved community-wide dissemination of culturally and linguistically relevant information targeting not only parents of age-eligible participants but the broader community. Finally, mothers suggested the use of social media using personal narratives and an enhanced active role of schools in providing accurate information to raise awareness and educate adolescents and parents about the importance of HPV vaccination. Conclusion: Findings are relevant to the development of tailored interventions to meet the needs of Latinx populations, and ultimately increase Latinx children’s HPV vaccination rates.

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