title: Human papillomavirus vaccine discussions:  an opportunity for mothers to talk with their daughters about sexual health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mother-daughter communication about sex is associated with healthier behavior during adolescence. We sought to characterize mothers' communication with their daughters about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the potential for these discussions to provide an opportunity for talking about sexual health.
  
  
  METHODS
  During December 2009, we conducted an online survey with a nationally representative sample of US mothers of girls aged 11 to 14 years (n = 900; response rate = 66%). We used 3 complimentary approaches to assess HPV vaccine as an opportunity for mother-daughter communication about sex. Estimates are weighted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five percent of mothers reported talking with their daughters about HPV vaccine, of whom 41% said that doing so led to a conversation about sex. Mothers who had talked with their daughters about HPV vaccine were more likely than those who had not to have also talked with their daughters about sex (92% vs. 74%, OR = 3.25, CI = 1.57-6.68, P < 0.05), in multivariate analyses. Among mothers who talked about sex when they talked about HPV vaccine, many felt that HPV vaccine provided a good reason to do so (64%) or that it made it easier to start a conversation (33%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPV vaccine discussions provide a cue to mother-daughter communication about sex that is as important as some more widely recognized cues. Discussions about HPV vaccine are an acceptable opportunity for mothers to talk with their daughters at an age when communication about sex is most influential. It may be possible for parents to capitalize on HPV vaccine discussions already happening in many families to promote sexual health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. almcree@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: Annie-Laurie
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: McRee
authors.forename: Sami L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dittus
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tucker Halpern
authors.forename: Noel T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Brewer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers; D009679:Nuclear Family; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines