Abstract
OBJECTIVE.: To determine midadult (age, ≥25 years) women's attitudes about receiving the prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. MATERIALS AND METHODS.: Four hundred seventy-two women 25 years or older completed a 46-question survey, read an educational sheet about HPV and HPV vaccines, and then completed a 23-item survey. Frequency data were reported, and interventional effects measured by Bowker test of symmetry. RESULTS.: After educational intervention, 50% of mid-adult women wanted to receive the vaccine, and 34.3% were undecided. A desire to be healthy (48.9%), prevent cervical cancer (42.8%), and fear of cervical cancer (35.8%) were the most common reasons for wanting the vaccine. The main reasons for not wanting the vaccine included being in a monogamous relationship (29.5%), not being at risk for acquiring HPV (15.0%), and practicing safe sex (10.8%). CONCLUSIONS.: Midadult women have a high level of acceptance for the HPV vaccine. Our findings help support future implementation of the vaccine in this catch-up population of receptive women.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 166-172 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2007 |
Keywords
- Acceptance
- Attitudes
- Human papillomavirus
- Midadult women
- Survey
- Vaccine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology