TY - JOUR T1 - Parental Acceptance of a Mandatory Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program JF - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine JO - J Am Board Fam Med SP - 220 LP - 229 DO - 10.3122/jabfm.2010.02.090091 VL - 23 IS - 2 AU - Daron Ferris AU - Leslie Horn AU - Jennifer L. Waller Y1 - 2010/03/01 UR - http://www.jabfm.org/content/23/2/220.abstract N2 - 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. ER -