“We don’t have the same bodies; we don’t react the same way”: mothers and adolescent girls’ perceptions of the risks and benefits of HPV vaccination in France

ABSTRACT

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is one of the most publicly mistrusted vaccines in Europe, with countries such as France struggling with low vaccine uptake due to parental questioning of vaccine risks and benefits. However, limited evidence exists on adolescent girls’ perceptions of the risks and benefits of HPV vaccination. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide an in-depth exploration and comparison of French mothers (n = 21) and adolescent girls’ (n = 36) perceptions of the risks and benefits of HPV vaccination. A thematic analysis showed that adolescent girls and mothers perceived the risks and benefits of HPV vaccination differently, with girls reporting positive and beneficial views and emotions toward vaccination and mothers expressing concerns about possible risks. Adolescent girls also reported that both perceptions and actual risks and benefits may vary from one individual to another. Vaccine safety was also understood differently, with mothers reporting a widespread view that vaccines are unsafe and focusing on controversial side effects and girls discussing short-term consequences of vaccination (e.g. pain, fever) and administration and storage issues. Strategies to improve uptake of HPV vaccination should consider and address both the mothers’ and daughters’ perceptions and understandings of HPV vaccination.

KEYWORDS:

• Human papillomavirus
• vaccination
• adolescents
• risk
• benefits
• perceptions
• safety
• confidence
• vaccine hesitancy

Acknowledgments

HJL and TC are affiliated to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Immunisation at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in partnership with Public Health England. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the National Health Service, the NIHR, the Department of Health, or Public Health England.

Disclosure Statement

HJL/EK are part of research projects funded by GSK, Merck, and Janssen; and received support for participating in Merck and GSK meetings. HJL is a member of the Merck Vaccine Confidence Advisory Board.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website at https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2022.2036555

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.