Factors Predicting Mothers' Intention toward Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination of Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Adolescents are prone to Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) such as Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Although HPV is a preventable disease, the vaccination rate is low. As parents should vaccinate their children to prevent HPV, the goal of this study was to identify the factors related to mother's intention to vaccinate adolescents against HPV. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in Qazvin from 2019 to 2020. The participants included 126 literate mothers who had a daughter between 12 and 14 years and health system information registry. To collect the data, a questionnaire was made based on the educational model of behavioral intent. Parents were interviewed in person in health centers or via phone at home. Data were analyzed using Spearman's correlation. Results: The mean (SD) age of the mothers, fathers, and girls were 39.60 (6.18), 43.51 (7.58), 13 (0.82) years, respectively. They hadn't received education regarding HPV. The mean (SD) of the knowledge, attitude, and HPV vaccination intention scores were 27.77 (18.08), 67.38 (10.25), and 15.44 (18.44), respectively. The factors related to HPV vaccination intention were parents' knowledge (r = 0.29, p = 0.001), positive attitude (r = 0.22, p = 0.010), parents' education (r = 0.22, p = 0.050) and family income (r = 0.21, p = 0.010). Conclusions: The high cost of vaccines, economic problems, and lack of knowledge were strong limitations for HPV vaccination. Thus, health workers should have informed parents and teens of the benefits of HPV vaccination. This process should be supported by policy makers.