Moreno Virginia A, Nogueira Denise Lima, Delgado Denisse, Valdez Madelyne J, Lucero Doris, Hernandez Nieto Axel, Rodriguez-Cruz Nachalie, Lindsay Ana Cristina
Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, Robert J and Donna Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Boston, USA.
Department of Nursing, Faculty Luciano Feijão, Sobral, Ceará, Brazil.
Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2025 Dec;21(1):2494452. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2025.2494452. Epub 2025 Apr 28.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers globally, yet it remains a significant health issue, primarily due to persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Ethnic minority and immigrant populations experience notable gaps in knowledge about HPV, the HPV vaccine, and its link to cervical cancer. This study assessed awareness and understanding of HPV, the HPV vaccine, and its connection to cervical cancer among Central American immigrant parents in the United States. A qualitative, exploratory study used in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Both inductive and deductive thematic analyses were conducted with MAXQDA software to identify key themes related to participants' awareness of HPV, the vaccine, and its link to cervical cancer. Fifty-six parents (33 mothers, 23 fathers; mean age = 42.7 years), nearly all foreign-born (92.8%) from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (average 17.3 years of U.S. residency), participated in the study. Only 26.8% ( = 15) demonstrated clear awareness of cervical cancer. Overall knowledge was limited, particularly regarding diagnosis and the role of HPV in cancer development. Furthermore, understanding of the HPV vaccine's role in prevention was minimal, with many unaware of its ability to reduce the risk of HPV-related cancers, including cervical cancer. Findings reveal significant knowledge gaps and misconceptions about HPV, cervical cancer, and the HPV vaccine, highlighting the need for targeted educational interventions to improve understanding and increase vaccination rates in immigrant and ethnic minority communities. Efforts should focus on improving understanding of cervical cancer detection, HPV's role in cancer development, and the vaccine's effectiveness in prevention.
宫颈癌是全球最可预防的癌症之一，但它仍然是一个重大的健康问题，主要原因是持续的高危型人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）感染。少数族裔和移民群体在HPV知识、HPV疫苗及其与宫颈癌的关联方面存在显著差距。本研究评估了美国中美洲移民父母对HPV、HPV疫苗及其与宫颈癌关联的知晓情况和理解程度。一项定性的探索性研究采用了深入的半结构化访谈。使用MAXQDA软件进行了归纳和演绎主题分析，以确定与参与者对HPV、疫苗及其与宫颈癌关联的知晓情况相关的关键主题。56名父母（33名母亲，23名父亲；平均年龄 = 42.7岁）参与了研究，几乎所有人都是在国外出生（92.8%），来自萨尔瓦多、危地马拉和洪都拉斯（在美国平均居住17.3年）。只有26.8%（n = 15）表现出对宫颈癌的清晰认知。总体知识有限，尤其是在诊断以及HPV在癌症发展中的作用方面。此外，对HPV疫苗预防作用的理解极少，许多人不知道其能降低包括宫颈癌在内的HPV相关癌症的风险。研究结果揭示了在HPV、宫颈癌和HPV疫苗方面存在重大的知识差距和误解，凸显了开展有针对性的教育干预措施以增进理解并提高移民和少数族裔社区疫苗接种率的必要性。努力应集中在提高对宫颈癌检测、HPV在癌症发展中的作用以及疫苗预防效果的理解上。
