A short report: parents HPV vaccine knowledge in rural South Florida

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic variables compared with child vaccination with HPV vaccine.

	All participants summary	Child vaccinated
	n	Yes	No	Unsure
Parent gender
Male	23	35%	26%	39%
Female	100	38%	36%	26%
Race
Black/African American	12	50%	42%	8%
Hispanic	98	36%	37%	27%
White Non-Hispanic	11	36%	9%	55%
Other	2	50%	0%	50%
Religion
Baptist	17	30%	35%	35%
Catholic	74	35%	35%	30%
Christian scientists	5	60%	0%	40%
Church of latter day saints	1	100%	0%	0%
Jewish	1	100%	0%	0%
Methodists	1	0%	100%	0%
Other	15	40%	33%	27%
Pentecostal	9	44%	44%	12%
Education
Some high school	30	20%	53%	27%
High-school degree	49	48%	26%	26%
Some college	32	28%	31%	41%
Bachelor’s degree	9	56%	33%	11%
Master’s degree	3	100%	0%	0%
Income
$15,000 or less	66	43%	33%	24%
$16,000 – $45,000	44	12	17	15
$46,000 – $60,000	8	50%	25%	25%
$61,000 – $80,000	1	0%	100%	0%
More than $80,000	4	50%	0%	50%
Health insurance
Medicaid	38	37%	37%	26%
Medicare	3	67%	33%	0%
Private	38	34%	29%	37%
Unemployed	44	39%	36%	25%
Marital status
Divorced	4	25%	50%	25%
Long-term relationship	25	60%	24%	16%
Married	61	36%	33%	31%
Single	33	24%	43%	33%

*Based on PHPVS Item 29. “I have vaccinated my child with the HPV Vaccine.”

Table 2. Parental human papillomavirus survey responses.

Item	Response	F	%
1. Children should only get vaccinated for serious diseases
	0	64	48.1
	1	11	8.3
	2	3	2.3
	3	10	7.5
	4	45	33.8
2. I am more likely to trust vaccinations that have been around awhile.
	0	17	12.8
	1	10	7.5
	2	20	15
	3	16	12
	4	70	52.6
3. Vaccinations are getting better all the time because of research.
	0	6	4.5
	1	1	0.8
	2	16	12
	3	25	18.8
	4	85	63.9
4. Healthy children do not need vaccinations.
	0	82	61.7
	1	18	13.5
	2	8	6
	3	6	4.5
	4	19	14.3
5. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease.
	0	24	18
	1	7	5.3
	2	25	18.5
	3	14	10.5
	4	62	46.6
6. Using condoms can prevent HPV.
	0	23	17.3
	1	6	4.5
	2	39	29.3
	3	13	9.8
	4	52	39.1
7. Genital warts are caused by HPV.
	0	22	16.5
	1	5	3.8
	2	52	39.1
	3	12	9.0
	4	42	31.6
8. People with HPV might not have symptoms.
	0	14	10.5
	1	8	6.0
	2	54	40.6
	3	13	9.8
	4	44	33.1
9. HPV makes you unable to have children.
	0	32	24.1
	1	14	10.5
	2	48	36.1
	3	13	9.8
	4	26	19.5
10. I worry that my child may get HPV.
	0	22	16.5
	1	14	10.5
	2	24	18
	3	19	14.3
	4	54	40.6
11. HPV can cause cervical cancer.
	0	11	8.3
	1	7	5.3
	2	37	27.8
	3	18	13.5
	4	59	44.4
12. Treatment for HPV is painful.
	0	16	12
	1	7	5.3
	2	72	54.1
	3	7	5.3
	4	31	23.3
13. I am opposed to vaccination requirements because they go against freedom of choice.
	0	61	45.9
	1	20	15
	2	23	17.3
	3	9	6.8
	4	20	15
14. I am opposed to vaccination requirements because parents know what‘s best.
	0	52	39.1
	1	16	12
	2	16	12
	3	10	7.5
	4	39	29.3
15. Required vaccinations protect children from getting disease from unvaccinated children.
	0	14	10.5
	1	8	6.0
	2	19	14.3
	3	16	12
	4	76	57.1
16. I understand exactly what the HPV vaccine is for.
	0	13	9.8
	1	5	3.8
	2	45	33.8
	3	19	14.3
	4	51	38.3
17. A vaccine against HPV could prevent future problems for my child.
	0	8	6.0
	1	6	4.5
	2	39	29.3
	3	17	12.8
	4	63	47.4
18. Giving my child a new vaccine is like performing an experiment on them.
	0	44	33.1
	1	16	12
	2	33	24.8
	3	12	9.0
	4	27	20.3
19. Most people I know think vaccinating children with the HPV vaccine before they are teenagers is a good idea.
	0	20	15
	1	6	4.5
	2	34	25.6
	3	21	15.8
	4	52	39.1
20. A teenager should be able to get the HPV vaccination without a parent‘s consent.
	0	51	38.3
	1	17	12.8
	2	19	14.3
	3	13	9.8
	4	33	24.8
21. Having genital warts makes it very difficult to find a sexual partner.
	0	31	23.3
	1	11	8.3
	2	41	30.8
	3	15	11.3
	4	35	26.3
22. If this new HPV vaccine was available when my child was an infant, they would be vaccinated against HPV infection.
	0	24	18
	1	5	3.8
	2	29	21.8
	3	17	12.8
	4	58	43.6
23. Shots are very painful for my child so I would rather not vaccinate him/her.
	0	82	61.7
	1	21	15.8
	2	13	9.8
	3	6	4.5
	4	11	8.3
24. If the new HPV vaccine is not required, I will not vaccinate my child.
	0	57	42.9
	1	17	12.8
	2	22	16.5
	3	11	8.3
	4	25	18.8
25. I understand that the HPV vaccine is very expensive so I will not vaccinate my child.
	0	62	46.6
	1	17	12.8
	2	33	24.8
	3	5	3.8
	4	15	11.3
26. I would vaccinate my child if it were free or at a very low cost.
	0	30	22.6
	1	10	7.5
	2	12	9.0
	3	13	9.8
	4	67	50.4
27. My child does not need this vaccine because he/she will not have sex, I will not vaccinate him/her.
	0	76	57.1
	1	16	12
	2	20	15
	3	5	3.8
	4	16	12
28. Generally I do what my doctor recommends, so I will vaccinate my child.
	0	14	10.5
	1	6	4.5
	2	8	6.0
	3	23	17.3
	4	81	60.9
29. I have vaccinated my child with the HPV vaccine.
	0	41	30.3
	1	5	3.8
	2	35	26.8
	3	7	5.3
	4	45	33.8
30. My closest friends are vaccinating their daughters with the HPV vaccine.
	0	23	17.3
	1	6	4.5
	2	60	45.1
	3	12	9.0
	4	31	23.3
31. When I make a decision to vaccinate my child my mind is made up.
	0	14	10.5
	1	10	7.5
	2	25	18.5
	3	15	11.3
	4	68	51.1

0 = totally disagree; 1 = slightly disagree; 2 = unsure; 3 = slightly agree; 4 = agree; F = frequencies; % = percent.

Table 3. Demographic variables and parental knowledge on HPV vaccination responses.

	All participants summary	HPV vaccine knowledge
	n	Yes	No	Unsure
Parent gender
Male	23	57%	13%	30%
Female	100	50%	13%	37%
Race
Black/African American	12	58%	8%	34%
Hispanic	98	51%	13%	36%
White Non-Hispanic	11	46%	18%	36%
Other	2	50%	0%	50%
Religion
Baptist	17	53%	18%	29%
Catholic	74	54%	11%	35%
Christian scientists	5	80%	0%	20%
Church of latter day saints	1	100%	0%	0%
Jewish	1	0%	0%	100%
Methodists	1	0%	0%	100%
Other	15	27%	33%	40%
Pentecostal	9	56%	0%	44%
Education
Some high school	30	43%	27%	30%
High-school degree	49	57%	10%	33%
Some college	32	50%	3%	47%
Bachelor’s degree	9	45%	22%	33%
Master’s degree	3	67%	0%	33%
Income
$15,000 or Less	66	59%	15%	26%
$16,000 – $45,000	44	41%	14%	45%
$46,000 – $60,000	8	37%	0%	63%
$61,000 – $80,000	1	100%	0%	0%
More than $80,000	4	50%	0%	50%
Health insurance
Medicaid	38	58%	8%	34%
Medicare	3	67%	0%	33%
Private	38	45%	5%	50%
Unemployed	44	50%	25%	25%
Marital status
Divorced	4	50%	25%	25%
Long-term relationship	25	72%	12%	16%
Married	61	46%	11%	43%
Single	33	45%	15%	40%

*Based on PHPVS Item 16. “I understand exactly what the HPV vaccine is for.”