Parental decision making regarding vaccination of their children against HPV

Objective: To determine which factors contribute to parental decision making in order to increase childhood vaccination rates against HPV. Methods: An IRB-approved survey was placed in the four Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine Family Medicine offices asking parents of children age 18 or younger to complete it. Questions focused on the age and gender of their children, their knowledge of the HPV vaccine, whether they have or will vaccinate their children if they do not intend to vaccinate their children why not, and the best way for them to obtain information about the vaccine. Results were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. Results: 40 surveys were completed and returned. Subjects included 32 female and 8 male parents with a variety of ethnicities, levels of education, religions and current ages. Overall, 72.5% of parents with at least one daughter and 65% of parents with at least one son either had or intended to vaccinate them against HPV. Physician discussion of the vaccine did not significantly impact vaccination decisions in parents with daughters, but it did impact vaccination decisions for parents with sons. Eighty percent of parents that received physician education vaccinated or intended to vaccinate their sons. In comparison, only fifty percent of parents who did not receive education from their physician vaccinated or intended to vaccinate their sons. Conclusion: Data collected suggested that physician education may increase parental decision to vaccinate their sons against HPV, but does not have impact on whether parents will vaccinate their daughters.