No abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination protects against six types of cancer—cervical, anal, oropharyngeal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal. In the United States (U.S.), HPV vaccination coverage in college students remains low, especially in the Mid-South region, despite the highest risk of HPV infections and disease burden. However, few studies have assessed HPV vaccination among college students here. This study examined factors associated with HPV vaccination among college students in the Mid-South and explored preferred strategies for promoting vaccination. A mixed-methods design comprising a cross-sectional, self-report online survey and dyadic virtual interviews was conducted. Simple random sampling was performed to recruit a total of 417 undergraduate students aged 18–26 from March to May 2021; convenience sampling was performed to recruit three sex-matched dyads of a total of six (four female and two male) undergraduates from survey respondents who had not completed the HPV vaccine series in May 2021. Binary logistic regression analyses showed HPV vaccine knowledge and perceived barriers to vaccination were factors contributing to coverage for both female and male students, while perceived risks of HPV and vaccine hesitancy were factors only among female students. Findings from the qualitative content analysis identified college students’ perceived barriers to the vaccination at multiple levels and preferred strategies for vaccination promotion, corroborating the findings from the survey study. The findings provide implications that benefit the development of tailored interventions aimed at facilitating catch-up vaccination among college students in the Mid-South region. There is an urgent need for further research and the implementation of effective strategies that address the identified barriers and improve HPV vaccine uptake in this population.

The vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) has shown effectiveness in preventing six different types of cancer. Despite a safe, effective HPV vaccine, vaccination coverage for adolescents remains suboptimal, especially in the Memphis, Tennessee metropolitan area. Parents/Guardians have a substantial influence on adolescent vaccination, but little is known about parental cognitive factors contributing to intent on adolescent HPV vaccination in this region. Thus, this study examined factors associated with stages of parental readiness for adolescent HPV vaccination by applying the transtheoretical model. A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted to collect quantitative data on sociodemographic characteristics; health-related information; HPV vaccination knowledge, beliefs, and hesitancy; and stages of readiness for adolescent HPV vaccination among parents. Convenience sampling was performed to recruit a total of 497 parents of adolescents aged 11–17 years in Shelby and Tipton Counties in Tennessee and DeSoto County in Mississippi. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that greater knowledge of HPV vaccination, greater perceived susceptibility to HPV, and lower levels of HPV vaccination hesitancy, respectively, distinguished higher from lower stages of parental readiness for adolescent HPV vaccination after controlling for other variables. The findings provide implications for developing readiness for stage-specific interventions targeted to effectively influence the parental decision-making process regarding HPV vaccination for adolescents.