Assessment of Acceptability and Determinants of Uptake and Schedule Completion of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine by 25 to 45 Years Old Women in Slovenia

Abstract

HPV immunization programs are mainly focused on girls and boys, but adult women and men could also benefit from vaccination. A multinational CoheaHr-WP4 study investigated the acceptability of HPV vaccination among 25–45 years old women. A total of 607 women from Slovenia participated in the study, and 49.6% (301/607) agreed with HPV vaccination, with a significant difference (p < 0.0001) between the two centers. Non-vaccinated women had a higher education (p = 0.0068) and were more frequently in a committed relationship or married (p = 0.01). The most trusted source of medical and vaccination information was healthcare providers (55.2%). The main reasons for vaccine acceptance were protection against HPV-related disease (93.4%), severity of preventable diseases (82.7%), HPV vaccine safety (66.8%), free HPV vaccine availability (62.8%), and the existence of vaccination recommendations (55.5%). The main reasons for refusing vaccination were the need for additional vaccine-related information (31.4%) and vaccine safety concerns (29.4%). To increase vaccine coverage, information about the benefits and safety of HPV vaccination must be widely disseminated to all health professionals and the general public. We are convinced that the knowledge obtained in this study can be reliably applied to other countries in the region that lack such information and have a very high cervical cancer burden.

Investigating women’s awareness and perceptions on human papillomavirus infection and oropharyngeal cancer in Italy

“…A low HPV vaccination coverage is confirmed by the results of this study, since only 22.5% of the eligible women reported to have undergone HPV vaccination. It is promising, however, that among non-vaccinated women, 62% expressed their willingness to undergo, although this finding is slightly lower than that found in a study in young adult women in the same area (71%) (34), but similar to that of nursing student in the same area (65.3%) (35), and higher that that reported in women in Slovenia (49.6%) (45). Indeed, it is known that intention to undergo vaccination may not always predict real vaccination uptake (46), and identification of determinants of hesitancy is a key component in the design of interventions aimed at the achievement of successful vaccination coverage.…”

Efficacy of HPV Vaccination Regarding Vulvar and Vaginal Recurrences in Previously Treated Women: The Need for Further Evidence

“…Other recommendations also cover adults who may be at higher risk [ 18 ]. A recent study examined the acceptability of HPV vaccination among women aged 25–45 years; among the main reasons for acceptability were protection against the disease, the safety of the vaccine, and the free availability of vaccines, while one of the reasons for refusing vaccination was a lack of information [ 19 ].…”