Determination of Turkish mothers' hesitations, awareness and knowledge levels regarding human papillomavirus vaccination for their sons

Seyma Z. Altunkürek; Zeynep Yaylalı

doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20262230

Authors

Seyma Z. Altunkürek Department of Public Health Nursing, Gulhane Faculty of Nursing, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye
Zeynep Yaylalı Department of Public Health Nursing, Gulhane Faculty of Nursing, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4427-7741

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20262230

Keywords:

HPV, Vaccine Hesitation, Mothers, Sons

Abstract

Background: This is the first study aimed at determining the level of knowledge, awareness and hesitations among Turkish mothers about the administration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to their sons.

Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Eskişehir Yunusemre Hospital in Turkey from 13 April 2022, to 13 July 2022. The study involved a sample of 513 mothers with sons. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 26, which included mean values, standard deviations, and percentage distributions, along with statistical tests such as ANOVA, post-Hoc, and Chi-square tests.

Results: Among the participants, only 38% had previously heard of the HPV infection. Only 1.9% of the participants had vaccinated their sons against HPV. Notably, 36% of those who were either hesitant or unwilling to vaccinate their sons expressed a lack of sufficient knowledge about the HPV vaccine as their primary reason. In our study, the participants' overall average HPV knowledge score was 22.6, while their awareness score was 77 out of 100.

Conclusions: Increasing knowledge about HPV is likely to play a crucial role in reducing vaccine hesitancy and enhancing vaccine acceptability. Consequently, healthcare professionals organizing educational initiatives and awareness campaigns to inform mothers about HPV infections and vaccines are seen as an effective approach.

References

Bruni L, Albero G, Serrano B, Mena M, Collado JJ, Gómez D, Muñoz J, Bosch FX, de Sanjosé S. 2021. Human Papillomavirus and Related Diseases in the World. Summary Report. Available at: https://hpvcentre.net/statistics/reports/BRA.pdf. Accessed on 22 October 2021.

Kombe Kombe AJ, Li B, Zahid A, Mengist HM, Bounda GA, Zhou Y, et al. Epidemiology and Burden of Human Papillomavirus and Related Diseases, Molecular Pathogenesis, and Vaccine Evaluation. Front Public Health. 2021;8:552028.

Gürer HG. Eren CY. Gürsoy ÖÖ, Bayırlı R. Servikal Kanser Taramasında Saptanan Önemi Belirlenemeyen Atipik Skuamoz Hücrelerin Klinik Değerlendirmesi: Eskişehir Deneyimi. Pamukkale Medi J. 2021;14(4):862-8.

Wardhani GK. Mudigdo A. Qadrijati I. Path analysis on the determinants of Pap smear utilization for cervical cancer early detection in women of reproductive age. J Health Promotion Behavior. 2017;2(4),359-70.

Altintas RY, Erciyas ŞK, Ertem G. Sağlık bilimleri fakültesi öğrencilerinin serviks kanseri ile Human Papilloma Virüs enfeksiyonu aşılamasına ilişkin sağlık inanç düzeylerinin belirlenmesi. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi. 2022;15(1):40-9.

Falcaro M, Castañon A, Ndlela B, Checchi M, Soldan K, Lopez-Bernal J, et al. The effects of the national HPV vaccination programme in England, UK, on cervical cancer and grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia incidence: a register-based observational study. Lancet. 2021;398(10316):2084-92.

Hpv Vaccination Recommendations. 2019. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/hcp/ recommendations.html. Accessed on 18 October 2019.

Grandahl M, Nevéus T. Barriers towards HPV Vaccinations for Boys and Young Men: A Narrative Review. Viruses. 2021;13(8):1644.

Coskuner ER, Ozkan TA, Karakose A, Dillioglugil O, Cevik I. Impact of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine on disease recurrence in men exposed to HPV Infection: a randomized study. J Sex Med. 2014;11(11):2785-91.

Garattini L, van de Vooren K, Curto A. Pricing human papillomavirus vaccines: lessons from Italy. Pharmacoeconomics. 2012;30(3):213-7.

Gülcü S, Arslan S. Vaccination practices in children: a current review. Duzce Univ Saglik Bil Enst Derg. 2018;8(1):34-43.

Newman PA, Logie CH, Lacombe-Duncan A, Baiden P, Tepjan S, et al. Parents' uptake of human papillomavirus vaccines for their children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. BMJ Open. 2018;8(4):e019206.

Kılıçarslan S, Gögebakan M, Közkurt C. Cervical cancer prediction using SMOTE algorithm and machine learning approaches. J Inst Sci Technol. 2023;13(2):747-59.

Datta S, Pink J, Medley GF, Petrou S, Staniszewska S, Underwood M, et al. Assessing the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccination strategies for adolescent girls and boys in the UK. BMC Infect Dis. 2019;19(1):552.

Nguyen Minh D, Taneepanichskul N, Hajek R. Effectiveness of a Health Talk Education Program on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Knowledge, Attitudes, and Intentions to Vaccinate Children Among Mothers of Secondary School Boys in Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2020;13:1207-14.

Moss JL, Reiter PL, Brewer NT. HPV vaccine for teen boys: Dyadic analysis of parents' and sons' beliefs and willingness. Prev Med. 2015;78:65-71.

McBride KR, Singh S. Predictors of Adults' Knowledge and Awareness of HPV, HPV-Associated Cancers, and the HPV Vaccine: Implications for Health Education. Health Educ Behav. 2018;45(1):68-76.

Szilagyi PG, Albertin CS, Gurfinkel D, Saville AW, Vangala S, et al. Prevalence and characteristics of HPV vaccine hesitancy among parents of adolescents across the US. Vaccine. 2020;38(38):6027-37.

Topçu S, Ulukol B, Sezgin Emüler D, Topçu HO, Ceyhun Peker G, Dökmeci F, et al. Hekimlerin human papillomavirus enfeksiyonu ve aşısı ile ilgili farkındalıkları ve yaklaşımları. Cukurova Med J. 2018;43(2):326-31.

Zhang X, Liu CR, Wang ZZ, Ren ZF, Feng XX, Ma W, et al. Effect of a school-based educational intervention on HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge and willingness to be vaccinated among Chinese adolescents: a multi-center intervention follow-up study. Vaccine. 2020;38(20):3665-70.

Atlı E, Göl İ. Ebeveynlerin human papilloma virüs aşısına yönelik tutum ve inançlarının değerlendirilmesi. Izmir Democracy Univ Health Sci J. 2022;5(1):270-84.

Ozyer S, Uzunlar O, Ozler S, Kaymak O, Baser E, Gungor T, et al. Awareness of Turkish female adolescents and young women about HPV and their attitudes towards HPV vaccination. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2013;14(8):4877-81.

Akca G, Akca U. Turkish mothers' knowledge and attitude about HPV vaccine. J Pediatr Nurs. 2022;67:83-7.

Davlin SL, Berenson AB, Rahman M. Correlates of HPV knowledge among low-income minority mothers with a child 9-17 years of age. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2015;28(1):19-23.

Ruffin MT 4th, Hade EM, Gorsline MR, DeGraffinreid CR, Katz ML, Kobrin SC, et al. Human papillomavirus vaccine knowledge and hypothetical acceptance among women in Appalachia Ohio. Vaccine. 2012;30(36):5349-57.

Wu JP, Porch E, McWeeney M, Ohman-Strickland P, Levine JP. Knowledge and concerns related to the human papillomavirus vaccine among underserved Latina women. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2010;14(3):155-61.

Chiang VC, Wong HT, Yeung PC, Choi YK, Fok MS, Mak OI, et al. Attitude, Acceptability and Knowledge of HPV Vaccination among Local University Students in Hong Kong. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016;13(5):486.

Puri N, Coomes EA, Haghbayan H, Gunaratne K. Social media and vaccine hesitancy: new updates for the era of COVID-19 and globalized infectious diseases. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2020;16(11):2586-93.

Taylor JL, Zimet GD, Donahue KL, Alexander AB, Shew ML, Stupiansky NW. Vaccinating sons against HPV: results from a U.S. national survey of parents. PLoS One. 2014;9(12):e115154.

Dorell CG, Yankey D, Santibanez TA, Markowitz LE. Human papillomavirus vaccination series initiation and completion, 2008-2009. Pediatrics. 2011;128(5):830-9.

Lee KN, Chang KH, Cho SS, Park SH, Park ST. Attitudes Regarding HPV Vaccinations of Children among Mothers with Adolescent Daughters in Korea. J Korean Med Sci. 2017;32(1):130-4.

Marlow LA, Zimet GD, McCaffery KJ, Ostini R, Waller J. Knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccination: an international comparison. Vaccine. 2013;31(5):763-9.

Schuler CL, DeSousa NS, Coyne-Beasley T. Parents' decisions about HPV vaccine for sons: the importance of protecting sons' future female partners. J Community Health. 2014;39(5):842-8.