PURPOSE

The use of self-report of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination status has several implications for clinical care and research. Reports of HPV vaccination history of adolescent girls (ages: 14-17 years) and their mothers were compared with medical chart data to assess the accuracy of HPV vaccine recall.

METHODS

Adolescent girls (N = 74) and their mothers independently completed questionnaires regarding HPV vaccination history, which were compared with medical chart data to assess the accuracy of HPV vaccine recall.

RESULTS

There were high levels of inaccuracy between actual HPV vaccination and self-report of vaccine receipt. Both mothers and daughters had poor recall of HPV vaccination, and were more likely to underestimate than overestimate the coverage. Girls who accurately reported their vaccination status were not more likely to have been sexually active in the past 2 months (p = .75).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings have clinical and research implications, as self-report is relied on to assess young women's vaccination status in research settings or in the absence of medical records. These data address the still prevalent concern that HPV vaccination encourages adolescent sexual behavior. It is unlikely that sexual behaviors will change as a result of vaccination in the large percentage of girls who cannot recall being vaccinated.