Adolescent Participation in HPV Vaccine Clinical Trials: Are Parents Willing?
Approximately one-quarter of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are acquired by adolescents, with a higher burden among racial/ethnic minorities. However, racial/ethnic minorities have been underrepresented in previous HPV vaccine trials. Ongoing and future HPV vaccine optimization trials would benefit from racially- and ethnically-diverse sample of adolescent trial participants. This study examined factors influencing parental willingness to consent to their adolescents' participation in HPV vaccine clinical trials and tested for possible racial differences. A convenience sample of parents of adolescents (N = 256) completed a cross-sectional survey. Chi square analyses were used to assess racial differences in parental HPV vaccine awareness and intentions and willingness to consent to their child participating in an HPV vaccine clinical trial. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with willingness. Approximately 47% of parents were willing to allow their adolescent to participate in HPV vaccine clinical trials (30.7% African American and 48.3% Caucasian, p = .081). African Americans had lower HPV vaccine awareness (p = .006) but not lower intentions to vaccinate (p = .086). Parental willingness was positively associated with the following variables: Child's age (p < .039), Perceived Advantages of HPV Vaccination for Adolescents (p = .002), Parental Trust in Medical Researchers (p < .001), and Level of Ease in Understanding Clinical Trial Information (p = .010). Educating parents about the advantages of HPV vaccines for younger adolescents using low-literacy educational materials and building trust between parents and researchers may increase parental willingness to consent to adolescent participation in HPV vaccine clinical trials.
Department of Internal Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. DB Todd Blvd, Nashville, TN, 37208-3599, USA. jerves@mmc.edu.
Jennifer Cunningham
JC
Erves
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. DB Todd Blvd, Nashville, TN, 37208, USA.
Tilicia L
TL
Mayo-Gamble
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave, Suite 800, Nashville, TN, 37203-1738, USA.
Pamela C
PC
Hull
Lentz Public Health Department, Nashville, TN, 37209, USA.
Lauren
L
Duke
Department of Surgery, Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. DB Todd Blvd, Nashville, TN, 37208, USA.
Stephania T
ST
Miller
D000293:Adolescent; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines
Adolescents; Clinical trials; HPV vaccine; Parental willingness