Parent Attitudes regarding Orthodontists’ Role as Potential Administrators of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccines

Abstract

Objective. To assess parent attitudes regarding orthodontists’ role as potential administrators of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines. Materials and Methods. 275 parents of adolescents, aged 11–17, who attended the orthodontic clinic at an American university for orthodontic adjustment visits and met inclusion criteria were given information about HPV and HPV vaccines. A paper questionnaire was administered to assess comfort level with orthodontists as HPV vaccinators. Demographic and other potential explanatory characteristics were collected. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed with SPSS statistical software v25. Results. The majority of participants were between 31 and 40 years old, with 79.6% identifying as female. 54.3% of the subjects’ children identified as female. Although 71.3% of participants identified as Hispanic, 55.3% of the total participants chose to respond to the questionnaire in Spanish. 66.7% of the participants reported education level as high school degree or less. Overall, 52.4% of parents responded that they would be comfortable with orthodontists administering HPV vaccines to their children. Bivariate analysis suggested a significant association ( p < 0.05 ) of parents taking the survey in Spanish and parents’ educational attainment with HPV vaccine administration comfort level. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression indicates that parents taking survey in Spanish (adjusted OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.24–4.72; p < .01 ) and parents of male children (adjusted OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.01–2.73; p < 047 ) were comfortable with orthodontists administering the HPV vaccine. Conclusions. The language of the survey influenced parents’ comfort level with orthodontists as HPV vaccinators, with Spanish having a positive correlation to comfort level. Parents of male children were more comfortable with orthodontists as HPV vaccinator.