title: HPV awareness and willingness to HPV vaccination among high-risk men attending an STI clinic in Puerto Rico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An HPV vaccine has been approved for men aged 9 to 26 in the US for the prevention of genital warts and anal cancer. The purpose of this study is to describe 1) HPV vaccine awareness, 2) willingness to get the HPV vaccine and 3) perceived susceptibility to HPV-related cancers and genital warts among men 18-26 years old who attend an STI clinic in San Juan, Puerto Rico (PR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional pilot study consisting of 206 HIV+/HIV- men. For purpose of this analysis, only those participants aged <or=26 years old were included in this analysis (n=46).
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the study participants had been vaccinated against HPV. Fewer than a third knew about the HPV vaccine (28.3%). However, more than half (76.9%) were willing to be vaccinated against HPV. Information sources about the HPV vaccine included their female sexual partners (13.0%), a female sexual partner who received the vaccine (8.7%) and a male sexual partner (2.2%). Most participants'reported that the main reason that would increase their willingness to get vaccinated was if a physician recommend the vaccine (95.7%). Perceived susceptibility was low, particularly for anal and oral cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study shows poor awareness of the HPV vaccine, although willingness to getting the HPV vaccine was high among those who knew about the vaccine. Future studies should try to evaluate this paradox and study in depth willingness and barriers to vaccination among male sub-groups, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). These studies should also evaluate predictors of uptake of the HPV vaccine among men in this and other STI clinics in PR, in order to develop interventions to increase male vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Administration, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico. vivian.colon@upr.edu
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colón-López
authors.forename: Lizbeth M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Del Toro-Mejías
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tortolero-Luna
authors.forename: Joel M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Palefsky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011647:Puerto Rico; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines