title: Decision-Making about the HPV Vaccine among Ethnically Diverse Parents: Implications for Health Communications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe parents' knowledge, attitudes, and decision-making with regard to obtaining the HPV vaccine for their daughters.
  
  
  METHODS
  White, Black, and Hispanic parents of daughters who were age eligible to receive the HPV vaccine (9-17 years) were recruited from community settings to participate in focus groups. Parents were asked about knowledge and awareness of HPV, decision-making about HPV vaccine, as well as preferred and actual sources of HPV information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven focus groups (n = 64 participants) were conducted. Groups were segmented by gender (women = 72%) and race/ethnicity (Black = 59%; White = 23%; Hispanic = 19%). Prevalent themes included: insufficient information to make informed decisions; varied preferences for involvement in decision-making; concerns about vaccine safety; mistrust of medical providers and pharmaceutical companies; and mismatch between actual and preferred sources of information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improving communication between providers and caregivers and helping parents to access information necessary for informed decision-making, while alleviating concerns about vaccine safety, may help to improve vaccine acceptance.
authors.affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Jesus
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mars
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tom
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cloutier
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Shelton