PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Daron Ferris
AU  - Leslie Horn
AU  - Jennifer L. Waller
TI  - Parental Acceptance of a Mandatory Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.2010.02.090091
DP  - 2010 Mar 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
PG  - 220--229
VI  - 23
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/23/2/220.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/23/2/220.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med2010 Mar 01; 23
AB  - Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine factors that influence parent's acceptance of a mandatory school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program.Methods: A convenience sample of 325 parents, with children aged 9 to 17 years old, completed a 53-item survey. Survey questions targeted their opinions about HPV, the HPV vaccine, and a mandatory HPV vaccination program. χ2 tests were used to examine relationships between survey items.Results: Characteristics of parents who believed the HPV vaccine should be mandated included limited financial resources (P = .03), history of HPV-related disease (P = .04), understanding their child's susceptibility (P = .03), interest in HPV vaccination for their child (P = .0001), and knowledge that the vaccine reduces the risk of cervical cancer (P = .001). Parents of children aged 12 to 14 years old (P = .02) or who knew the vaccine reduced their child's risk of developing genital warts (P = .02) and cervical cancer (P = .001) would be more likely to comply with a mandatory HPV vaccine program.Conclusions: Certain characteristics define parents who support a mandatory HPV vaccination program. Greater education of parents and health care providers should improve vaccination uptake, which ultimately reduces morbidity and mortality from HPV related diseases.