Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Acceptance by African-American Parents: Identifying Psychosocial Barriers

The HPV vaccine offers hope that the incidence of cervical cancer can be greatly reduced in
the U.S. and globally. However, because the vaccine is recommended for children and early
adolescents, vaccine awareness and acceptance among parents is critical to insuring vaccine
uptake and public health benefit. Although culturally specific concerns may reduce HPV
vaccination among African-American youth, research has not addressed this possibility.
Accordingly, the proposed study will enroll 300 mothers in a study to identify barriers to
HPV vaccination among low-income, African-American teens. Surveys assessing
culturally-specific barriers to HPV vaccination acceptance will be administered to both
parents and their vaccine-eligible children. Upon completion of the survey, parents with
vaccine-eligible daughters will be invited to receive a free HPV vaccination for their child
through a local, teen-friendly health clinic. Outcome analyses will focus on identification
of predictors of completed vaccinations among girls and barriers to vaccine acceptance among
mothers of teenage sons. Our study will provide critically important behavioral outcome data
linking barriers to vaccination to subsequent vaccination decisions in a real-world, health
care setting.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Females parent or guardian with an African-American daughter or son between the ages
of 11 and 17

- African-American adolescents between the ages of 11-17