ASPO Abstracts
Parental influence on HPV vaccination among Latinx adolescents receiving care from a large Federally Qualified Health Center in Los Angeles County
Category: Cancer Health Disparities
Conference Year: 2022
Abstract Body:
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand influences on HPV vaccination among low-income adolescents receiving care from a large Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Los Angeles, California that serves a primarily Latino/a/x population.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Spanish and English among parents of adolescents (11-17 yrs) recruited from an FQHC participating in a pragmatic trial comparing the effectiveness of three HPV vaccine promotion approaches. Interviews assessed vaccine awareness and beliefs, perceived barriers, and provider communication and were audiotaped, translated, and transcribed verbatim. Three coders used template analysis methods to identify a priori and emerging themes, focusing on parents who were aware of the vaccine. Results: Interviews were conducted with 91 parents and 74 had heard of the HPV vaccine (95% female; 94% Latino/a/x). Among adolescents of HPV vaccine aware parents, only 69% (31/45) of girls and 52% (15/29) of boys had received the vaccine. A number of parents were unaware that the vaccine was recommended or beneficial for boys. Many parents of unvaccinated adolescents felt their child was not currently at risk (not having sex) or that they could reduce their child's risk (provide advice), while parents of vaccinated adolescents acknowledged they may not be aware of their child's risk and could mitigate future risk through vaccination. Parents of vaccinated adolescents often emphasized parental responsibility over their child's health decisions, while some parents of unvaccinated children deferred to their child to make the decision. Parents of unvaccinated adolescents also expressed less trust in health care providers, more concerns about potential vaccine harms, or thought the vaccine was "new."¬ù While such barriers also emerged among parents of vaccinated children, they were typically countered by perceived vaccine benefits. Parents did not cite logistical barriers or cost concerns related to the vaccine. Conclusions: Despite having knowledge of and access to the HPV vaccine, we found differences between parents of vaccinated and unvaccinated Latino/a/x adolescents in perception of their child's risk, vaccine decision-making, and level of trust in their healthcare provider.
Keywords: Cancer Prevention and Screening, Immunizations, HPV, Cancer Health Disparities