title: Australian newspaper coverage of human papillomavirus vaccination, October 2006-December 2009.
abstract: Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) is now routine practice for adolescent females in Australia. Media information about HPV vaccination is likely to affect girls' and parents' decisions about vaccination. This article reports a content analysis of 131 Australian print media news stories published between October 2006 and December 2009. Each story was coded for main themes of the article; completeness and accuracy of information presented; potential issues and concerns related to HPV vaccination; phrasing, emphasis, and language used; and representation of experts. Resulting themes were as follows: Australian pride in vaccine development; details and progress of the National Vaccination Program; vaccine safety; HPV vaccination's future; whether or not males could and/or should get the vaccine; issues related to sexual activity and the vaccine; and issues about decision making for acceptance of HPV vaccine. To fill gaps that are created by media representations of HPV vaccination, educational interventions should include information about HPV transmission and male vaccination and should promote adolescent involvement in decision making.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Sydney, and National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. dr.spring@gmail.com
authors.forename: Spring Chenoa Cooper
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: Candy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leask
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines