Knowledge and Acceptability of the HPV Vaccine Among Ethnically Diverse Black Women

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine HPV vaccine knowledge and acceptability among ethnically diverse Black women. Forty-four women were interviewed in 6 focus groups (2 African American, 2 English-speaking Caribbean, 1 Haitian, and 1 African). Thematic content analysis was used to generate common concepts and themes and to compare findings across groups. There was varied but limited knowledge and confusion across ethnic groups about the HPV infection and vaccine. African and Haitian women had the least knowledge. Overall, women were generally receptive toward the HPV vaccine for girls but unclear about the need to vaccinate boys. Concerns about the HPV vaccine were mainly related to side effects/safety and vaccinating children at a young age. Healthcare provider's recommendation of the vaccination was important for decision making. Educational interventions with Black women about HPV vaccination should recognize cultural beliefs that vary by ethnic group.

Provider communication about HPV vaccination: A systematic review

“…Rather, qualitative research suggests that parents found open-ended communication ambiguous, frustrating and worrying, leading them to delay HPV vaccination for their adolescents. 61,71,77,78,98,99 Instead of encouraging shared decision making, mixed messages appeared to lead to a "default" communication style in which neither providers nor parents engaged in the decision-making process. 110 Findings also provide evidence of communication disparities in terms of who receives a provider recommendation for HPV vaccination.…”

“…22,23,27,35,40,51,59 These recommendation practices corresponded with the preferences of parents, who tended to favor communicating with providers about HPV vaccination in their adolescents' teenage vs. preteen years. 16,19,61 Among studies focusing on young adult patients, provider recommendations declined slightly in frequency for patients in their twenties. 35,41,56,62 Two studies suggested that a minority of providers continued to recommend HPV vaccine for older adults, ages 27 and over, who fell outside of the recommended age range for catch up vaccination.…”

“…60,84 Content about safety and side effects featured somewhat less prominently in studies of provider communication about HPV vaccination. Qualitative studies suggested that some parents and adolescents prioritized safety and side effects as important topics for discussion, 19,21,38,61,82 but studies of actual content suggested that such communication was fairly limited. 27,79,82 For example, one qualitative study of parents and their adolescent sons found that most recalled that their providers had told them HPV vaccination was generally safe, but few reported receiving information or asking questions about specific side effects.…”

“…84 In contrast, qualitative studies with parents from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds suggested some degree of dissatisfaction with HPV vaccine communication, with some parents reporting too little information, limited opportunities to ask questions, or ambiguous recommendations. 61,71,77,78,98,99 For these parents, the perception that providers were withholding information was a source of confusion that introduced doubt about the value of HPV vaccination, discouraged vaccine acceptance, and in some cases undercut parents' trust in providers. 61,71,77,78,98,99 Parents emphasized their desire for clear, unambiguous messages from providers about the importance of HPV vaccination.…”

“…61,71,77,78,98,99 For these parents, the perception that providers were withholding information was a source of confusion that introduced doubt about the value of HPV vaccination, discouraged vaccine acceptance, and in some cases undercut parents' trust in providers. 61,71,77,78,98,99 Parents emphasized their desire for clear, unambiguous messages from providers about the importance of HPV vaccination. 38,71,77,99 Channel Relatively few studies assessed modes of clinical communication about HPV vaccination beyond provider dialog, but those that did focused primarily on written materials.…”