Examining the level of awareness and attitudes towards gender-neutral HPV vaccination of the parents of children aged 9-18 years and adults: a qualitative research
Authors: Tatarchuk T.F. , Antypkin Y.G. , Regeda S.I. , Kalugina L.V. , Tutchenko T.M. , Kosei N.V. , Tatarchuk Y.V. , Povetkina T.M. 
Published: December 2024

Objective of the study: to assess the awareness of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and HPV-related diseases among the parents of children aged 9-18 years and adults, to determine the level of readiness to be vaccinated and to vaccinate their children against HPV; to identify existing barriers to this, and to explore how war affects perceptions of vaccination.Materials and methods. A qualitative exploratory research was conducted. The data were collected through focus group discussions. Parents of children aged 9-18 and adults (men aged 18-26, women aged 18-45) took part in the research.Results. Most respondents were aware of HPV infection and HPV-related diseases, adult women and parents of children aged 9-18 years were more aware than adult men. However, the level of knowledge was limited and generally insufficient.The majority of respondents recognize HPV as a serious problem that leads to cancer, but the opinion that HPV is not a big problem was quite often expressed among adults and parents. Only a part of the interviewed women was informed about HPV by gynecologists, while men did not receive any data on this issue from health workers at all. The research revealed an extremely low level of awareness among adults and parents of children about the availability of HPV vaccination and its features. Adults and parents explained their ignorance in this matter by the fact that doctors mostly do not tell patients about this vaccine and do not recommend vaccination against HPV.The vast majority of parents did not want to vaccinate their children against HPV due to the lack of information about its effectiveness and safety. But they were more likely to reconsider their decision after receiving more information about the vaccine. Less often, parents reported a potential willingness to vaccinate their child against HPV. Common barriers to vaccination are primarily related to doubts about vaccine safety, mistrust of the medical system and vaccine manufacturers, and lack of knowledge about how vaccines work, what they are made of, and how they affect the body. However, parents and adults overwhelmingly believe that their attitudes toward HPV vaccination will improve if free vaccination is introduced.In the regions closest to hostilities (East, South) the situation with vaccination during the war worsened to a greater extent than in other regions. Most adults did not change their attitudes about vaccination during the war, and for a minority of them vaccination became less important. A third of parents reported that the relevance and importance of vaccination for them decreased, for a third it remained unchanged, and for another third it increased.Conclusions. Widespread and insufficient awareness of HPV infection and HPV-related diseases among parents of children aged 9-18 years and adults. Adults and parents base their assumptions that HPV is not a serious problem on the lack of objective information from doctors, as well as in the mass media or social networks.Most adults and parents of children aged 9-18 are not currently ready to vaccinate themselves or their children against HPV.The war affected both access to vaccination and the perception of the relevance of vaccination, depending on the distance of the region of residence from the front line. Vaccination access decreased in regions near active hostilities, in small cities and rural areas.Efforts are needed to increase awareness of HPV vaccination, including the importance of informing parents and adults about the HPV vaccine, timely vaccination, and regular screenings.