Factors Associated with College Students' Intentions to Vaccinate Their Daughters Against HPV: Protecting the Next Generation

Human

papillomavirus (HPV) is a contemporary public health concern

because of its association with cervical cancer. Despite evidence

about HPV vaccination benefits, debate surrounds whether or not to

vaccinate American youth. While no nationwide mandate exists,

understanding the behaviors and intentions of future parents may

provide insight about our ability to protect the next generation of

school-aged youth. The purposes of this study were to examine

factors associated with unmarried college students\' intentions to:

(1) vaccinate their daughters against HPV and (2) give their

daughters the choice about whether or not to be vaccinated. Data

were analyzed from 1606 college students aged 18-26 using an

internet-delivered questionnaire. Two binary logistic regression

analyses were performed identifying predictor variables associated

with participants\' intentions when having daughters in the future

to vaccinate them against HPV and whether or not they would let

their daughters decide to get the vaccination. Relative to those

who did not intend to vaccinate their daughters against HPV,

participants who were female (OR 1.55, P = 0.018), sexually active

(OR 1.62, P = 0.001), diagnosed with HPV (OR 2.64, P < 0.001),

received a flu shot in the past 12 months (OR 1.63, P = 0.002),

perceived the HPV vaccine to be safe (OR 1.19, P < 0.001), and

supported HPV vaccination mandates for school-aged youth (OR 2.58,

P < 0.001) were more likely to report intentions of vaccinating

their daughters against HPV. Participants who were sexually active

(OR 1.45, P = 0.002) and perceived the HPV vaccine to be safe (OR

1.05, P = 0.012) were more likely to report they would allow their

daughters to choose whether to be vaccinated against HPV. Until HPV

vaccination mandates are enacted, parental support of vaccines are

among the most effective way of increasing vaccine uptake.

Identifying HPV vaccination support among future parents has

potential to inform parent vaccination education programs related

and advocacy for HPV vaccination policies.