ASPO Abstracts
Understanding Attitudes toward HPV Vaccination using Moral Foundations Theory
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2020
Abstract Body:
Purpose
We used a qualitative research approach to explore the underlying morals associated with
an intent to vaccinate and attitudes about HPV vaccination in rural and frontier regions of
Oregon. By identifying individual moral foundations related to vaccination, we hope to tailor
and adapt known strategies to improve vaccination rates in our state.
Methods
Six community-based focus groups and four individual interviews of community members in
seven Oregon counties were conducted. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for
analyses and transcripts were analyzed using Dedoose (8.2.14). We utilized the Moral
Foundations Theory for thematic coding. This framework reflects Western or American
moralities; the foundation dichotomies include: care/harm, authority/subversion,
loyalty/betrayal, liberty/oppression, purity/degradation, and fairness/cheating.
Results
A total of 40 adults (40.9 ± 12.4 years), representing a range of education levels,
participated in the groups and interviews. Based on preliminary code co-occurrence, those
who made statements coded to care/harm were more likely to vaccinate, whereas those
who made statements coded to purity/degradation were more likely to be against
vaccination. Moral foundations varied amongst vaccine-hesitant participants. Participants
who said their stance on vaccination depended on the vaccine or that the recommended
vaccine schedule was difficult were more likely to make statements consistent with the
care/harm dichotomy, aligning closely with the pro-vaccine participants. Concerns about
vaccine additives or vaccines risks were often associated with purity/degradation, seeming
to align with those who do not vaccinate.
Conclusions
These findings have the potential to help us tailor vaccine campaigns in a Western society to
address concerns of those who do not vaccinate and those who are vaccine-hesitant. Our
results suggest the reasons for vaccine-hesitancy may provide insight into the underlying
moral foundations influencing vaccine decisions. Vaccine campaigns which respond to the
foundations of care/harm and purity/degradation may be more effective and better received
in rural or frontier Oregon.
Keywords: HPV, vaccination, communication