title: Psychosocial predictors of human papillomavirus vaccination intentions for young women 18 to 26: religiosity, morality, promiscuity, and cancer worry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether five psychosocial variables, namely, religiosity, morality, perceived promiscuity, cancer worry frequency, and cancer worry severity, predict young women's intentions to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female undergraduate students (n=408) completed an online survey. Questions pertaining to hypothesized predictors were analyzed through bivariate correlations and hierarchical regression equations. Regressions examined whether the five psychosocial variables of interest predicted intentions to vaccinate above and beyond controls. Proposed interactions among predictor variables were also tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study findings supported cancer worry as a direct predictor of HPV vaccination intention, and religiosity and sexual experience as moderators of the relationship between concerns of promiscuity reputation and intentions to vaccinate. One dimension of cancer worry (severity) emerged as a particularly robust predictor for this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides support for several important, yet understudied, factors contributing to HPV vaccination intentions among college-aged women: cancer worry severity and religiosity. Future research should continue to assess the predictive contributions of these variables and evaluate how messages and campaigns to increase HPV vaccination uptake can utilize religious involvement and worry about cancer to promote more effectively HPV vaccination as a cancer prevention strategy.
authors: Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. Electronic address: melinda.krakow@utah.edu.
authors: Melinda M
authors: MM
authors: Krakow
authors: Department of Communication, Cancer Control & Population Science, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors: Jakob D
authors: JD
authors: Jensen
authors: Department of Communication Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Carcioppolo
authors: Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors: Jeremy
authors: J
authors: Weaver
authors: Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors: Miao
authors: M
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Languages, Philosophy, & Communication Studies, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
authors: Lisa M
authors: LM
authors: Guntzviller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D009014:Morals; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010465:Perception; D012067:Religion; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines