A systematic review of measures used in studies of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine acceptability.
BACKGROUND
The recent proliferation of studies describing factors associated with HPV vaccine acceptability could inform health care providers in improving vaccine coverage and support future research. This review examined measures of HPV and HPV-vaccine knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and acceptability, described psychometric characteristics, and provided recommendations about their use.


METHODS
A systematic search of Medline, CINAHL, PsychoInfo, and ERIC through May 2008 for English language reports of quantitative data from parents, young adults or adolescents yielded 79 studies.


RESULTS
The majority of studies were cross-sectional surveys (87%), self-administered (67%), conducted before prophylactic vaccines were publicly available (67%) and utilized convenience samples (65%). Most measured knowledge (80%), general attitudes about HPV vaccination (40%), and willingness to vaccinate one's daughter (26%). Two-thirds did not report reliability or validity of measures. The majority did not specify a theoretical framework.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of a theoretical framework, consistent labeling of constructs, more rigorous validation of measures, and testing of measures in more diverse samples are needed to yield measurement instruments that will produce findings to guide practitioners in developing successful community and clinical interventions.
Allen
Jennifer D
JD
Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. jennifer_allen@dfci.harvard.edu
Coronado
Gloria D
GD
Williams
Rebecca S
RS
Glenn
Beth
B
Escoffery
Cam
C
Fernandez
Maria
M
Tuff
Raegan A
RA
Wilson
Katherine M
KM
Mullen
Patricia Dolan
PD
D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012107:Research Design; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines