How parents hear about human papillomavirus vaccine: implications for uptake.
OBJECTIVE
To examine correlates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine awareness and information sources in a state requiring schools to inform parents about HPV vaccine.


METHODS
Telephone survey of a North Carolina population-based sample of 696 parents of females aged 10-17 years about HPV vaccine awareness and information sources (daughters' schools, healthcare provider, drug company advertisements, news stories) was conducted.


RESULTS
Overall, 91% of parents had heard of HPV vaccine. Parents were more likely to be aware if they had household incomes of $50,000 or higher, were women, had non-Hispanic white daughters, or had daughters vaccinated against meningitis. Information sources included drug company advertisements (64%), healthcare providers (50%), news stories (50%), and schools (9%). Only parents who heard from their children's healthcare providers were more likely to initiate HPV vaccine for their daughters.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents had rarely heard of the vaccine through schools. The only source associated with vaccine initiation was hearing from a healthcare provider.
Cates
Joan R
JR
School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3365, USA. JoanCates@unc.edu
Shafer
Autumn
A
Carpentier
Francesca D
FD
Reiter
Paul L
PL
Brewer
Noel T
NT
McRee
Annie-Laurie
AL
Smith
Jennifer S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009657:North Carolina; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010290:Parents; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines