title: Knowledge, acceptance, and willingness to pay for human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination among female parents in Thailand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to examine the level of knowledge, attitude, acceptance, and willingness to pay (WTP) for HPV vaccination among female parents of girls aged 12-15 years in Thailand.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in eight schools across Bangkok.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1,200 questionnaires sent out, a total of 861 questionnaires were received. Knowledge regarding the HPV vaccine among parents was quite low. Only half of the parents knew about the link between HPV and cervical cancer while one-third of them knew that the vaccine should be administered to the children before they become sexually active. Nevertheless, vaccine acceptance was high if it was offered for free: 76.9% for the bivalent and 74.4% for the quadrivalent vaccine. The proportion of respondents who were willing to copay for the vaccine if it was not totally free was also high, ranging from 68.9% for the bivalent to 67.3% for the quadrivalent vaccine. No significant difference between bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines in terms of prevalence of acceptance and willingness to pay was found. About one-third of the participants, who were willing to copay for the vaccine if it was not offered for free, indicated that they would copay less than 500 baht (30 baht = approx US$1) for three doses of bivalent vaccine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substantial effort should be made to educate parents prior to introduction of a national HPV vaccination program. In terms of acceptance, either bivalent or quadrivalent vaccines can be recommended.
authors.affiliation: Rural and Local Consumer Health Products Promotion Protection Division, Food and Drug Administration, Bangkok, ThailandE-mail : montarat.tha@mahidol.ac.th.
authors.forename: Siraporn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kruiroongroj
authors.forename: Usa
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Chaikledkaew
authors.forename: Montarat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thavorncharoensap
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*; D014930:Women
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines