HPV vaccine acceptance among mid-adult women.

OBJECTIVE

To determine correlates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine acceptance in mid-adult women.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 472 mid-adult women completed a 2-part, 69-item survey that included demographic, knowledge, and behavioral variables as potential correlates of vaccine acceptance. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify correlates for vaccine acceptance.

RESULTS

Mid-adult women who received the HPV vaccine were more likely to be younger than 55 years (P < .001); have had an abnormal Papanicolaou test (odds ratio [OR], 2.15; 95% CI, 1.18-3.92); understand that HPV causes cervical cancer (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.08-5.30); feel at risk for HPV infection (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.00-4.57), and feel it is important for their partner (OR, 25.20; 95% CI, 9.66-65.72) and children (OR, 3.54; CI, 0.51-24.56) to get the HPV vaccine. Monogamous mid-adult women (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.21-1.00); women who did not want any vaccines (OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.07-0.92); and women who felt it was too late to get the vaccine (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.08-0.44) were less likely to want the HPV vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

These clinical predictors of HPV vaccine acceptance will help clinicians recognize mid-adult women who may be more receptive to vaccination.