Men's attitudes toward receiving the human papillomavirus vaccine.
OBJECTIVE
To determine men's attitudes toward receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.


METHODS
Five hundred seventy-one men read a 1-page informational sheet about HPV and the HPV vaccine before completing a 29-item questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were calculated on all variables.


RESULTS
Of these men, 33% wanted to receive the HPV vaccine, 27% did not, and 40% were undecided. The main reasons for wanting the vaccine included a desire to stay healthy (67.4%); prevention of cancer in my sexual partner(s) (52.9%); prevention of anal, penile, and head and neck cancer (41.0%); fear of cancer (33.4%); and prevention of genital warts (32.8%). Being in a monogamous relationship and not at risk (18.9%), not interested (13.8%), and not enough evidence yet to prove that it will help men (8.2%) were the main reasons for not wanting to be vaccinated.


CONCLUSIONS
Although many men want to receive the HPV vaccine, more remain undecided. Pending favorable safety and efficacy results from a clinical trial for men, substantial factual education will likely convince many ambivalent men to receive the HPV vaccine.
Ferris
Daron G
DG
Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Center, Department of Family Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912-3500, USA. dferris@mcg.edu
Waller
Jennifer L
JL
Miller
Jeremiah
J
Patel
Pratik
P
Jackson
Lanier
L
Price
George A
GA
Wilson
Courtesia
C
D000328:Adult; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines