ASPO Abstracts
Human papillomavirus vaccine acceptance post-COVID-19 vaccine release among Alabama mothers
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2023
Abstract Body:
Purpose: The current study seeks to determine if the release of COVID-19 vaccines (vax) influenced Alabama mothers' attitudes and behaviors regarding HPV vax of their adolescent children. Methods: We developed and implemented a social media survey in September 2022 among mothers of adolescents ages 9-18, who self-identified as Alabama residents and their child(ren)'s primary medical decision maker. The survey assessed demographics; vax knowledge; vax opinions; mother/child vax history; influences on vax decisions; and how COVID vax release affected other vax opinions. Preliminary data were analyzed using Chi-square and Fischer's exact tests. Results: Of 245 verified responses, most participants were white (87.9%), non-Hispanic (96.7%), and privately insured (59.5%), with annual household incomes ≥$61,000 (45.6%). Most mothers were between 34-43 years (n=81, 50.3%), Mean child age was 12.7 years (55.3% female). For COVID-19 vax, 44.7% reported their child had received or would receive vax (vs. 54.4% who neither had, nor planned to). Further, 60.8% reported their child either already or planned to have HPV vax (vs. 33.6% reporting no intent). Only 46 (23%) children had received both the HPV and COVID vax; 106 (53%) had received neither. Of mothers, 59.5% had received COVID vax or planned to. Mothers of children unvax against HPV were asked if/how the release of COVID-19 vax affected their likelihood of seeking HPV vax for their children. Of these, 89.0% (n=161) reported no change in likelihood ("unchanged
Keywords: vaccination; HPV; COVID-19; adolescents; parental opinions