Parental adhesion to boys’ HPV vaccination and associated factors: a cross-sectional study.

Laetitia Bachmann

Keywords: Vaccination - Papillomaviridae - General practice - Evaluation - cross-sectional studies

Background:

Vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the main means for preventing HPV- dependent cancers. HPV vaccination has been recommended for girls since 2007 in France and an extension to boys aged 11 and over has been decided since 2021.

Research questions:

Main objective was to describe the propensity of parents to vaccinate their boys against HPV. Secondary objectives were to understand the levers that would allow better adhesion to HPV vaccination.

Method:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in four French urban counties , between October 2022 and February 2023. Anonymous self-questionnaires were distributed to parents consulting in general medicine practices, in a multidisciplinary health center and in a gynecological polyclinic and having children of age to be vaccinated. Then main endpoint was the adhesion to HPV vaccination for boys. Uni- and multivariate analysis were performed to determine associated factors.

Results:

Of the 237 participants, 164 (71%) were in favor of HPV vaccination for the boys. Of these, 117 (71%) were well-informed about HPV and vaccines and 109 (66%) were sensitized by their general practitioner (GP). After adjusting for age, sex, parental level of education, recruitment center, number of children and presence of a boy in the family, the associated factors of adhesion to HPV vaccination for boys were a GP in favor of vaccination (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR)=2.2; 95% Confidence Interval:1.2-4.2, p=0.015), information given by a health professional (aOR=2.2; 95CI:1.2-4.3, p=0.016), the feeling of being sufficiently
informed about HPV vaccination (aOR=4.5; 95CI: 1.9-12.2, p=0.002) and and to a lesser
extent knowledge of HPV-related diseases (aOR=2.1; 95CI: 1.1-4.4, p=0.052).

Conclusions:

Parents of children of age to be vaccinated seem mostly in favor of vaccination against HPV. They are most likely in favor when they feel sufficiently informed about HPV vaccination or HPV-related diseases and when this information is given by their GP or a healthcare professional.

Points for discussion:

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