College males’ behaviors, intentions, and influencing factors related to vaccinating against HPV

Figures & data

Table 1. Survey questions which assessed participants’ behaviors, Theory of Planned Behavior psychosocial constructs, and HPV stigma (n = 574)

Survey question	Responses Options	Responses
Behavior
Have you already received the HPV vaccine?^Citation19	Yes No I don’t know	205 (33.2%) 245 (39.6%) 168 (27.2%)
The HPV vaccine requires 3 doses given over 6 months. How many shots of the HPV vaccine have you had?^Citation21	1 2 3 I don’t know	18 (8.8%) 29 (14.1%) 131 (63.9%) 27 (13.2%)
Have you ever talked to a doctor or other health care provider about getting the HPV vaccine?^Citation24	Yes No	237 (38.3%) 381 (61.7%)
Intention
I intend to get the HPV vaccine this semester.^Citation19	Agree Disagree	60 (24.6%) 184 (75.4%)
I intend to get the remaining doses of the HPV vaccine this semester.^Citation19	Agree Disagree	52 (71.3%) 21 (28.7%)
Attitude
How willing would you be to get the HPV vaccine?^Citation21	Willing Not willing	328 (79.8%) 83 (20.2%)
Getting the HPV vaccination would be …^Citation19 What is your opinion of the HPV vaccine.^Citation21	Good, Bad Wise, Foolish Pleasant, Unpleasant Necessary, Unnecessary Effective, Ineffective Painless, painful Positive, Negative	Positive responses 555 (96.7%) 560 (97.6%) 270 (47.0%) 444 (77.4%) 557 (97.0%) 359 (62.5%) 536 (93.4%)
Subjective Norm
Most people who are important to me think I should get the HPV vaccine.^Citation19 My friends think …^Citation19 My family thinks …^Citation19 My healthcare provider thinks …^Citation19 My significant other or sexual partner(s) think …^Citation19	Yes No	Yes responses 319 (55.6%) 269 (46.9%) 299 (52.1%) 370 (64.4%) 308 (53.6%)
Perceived Behavior Control (vaccine access)
I feel concerned about being able to pay for the HPV vaccine.^Citation21	Agree Disagree	231 (40.2%) 343 (59.8%)
I feel confident in my ability to get vaccinated even if it is expensive.^Citation18	Agree Disagree	326 (56.8%) 248 (43.2%)
Perceived Behavioral Control (communication)
It would be easy for me to talk to my healthcare provider about getting the HPV vaccine.^Citation23 I would be comfortable initiating a conversation with my healthcare provider about getting the HPV vaccine.^Citation23 (updated talking to initiating) I would be comfortable talking to my healthcare provider about getting the HPV vaccine.^Citation23 (updated from “It would be comfortable”)	Agree Disagree	Agree responses: 466 (81.2%) 457 (79.6%) 475 (82.7%)
HPV Stigma
If I were diagnosed with HPV, I feel others would avoid me because of my HPV infection.^Citation27 I would feel I am at least partially to blame for my HPV infection.^Citation27 If I were told that I have HPV, it would make me feel unclean.^Citation27 Most people believe a person who has HPV is immoral.^Citation27 Most people believe a person who has HPV is promiscuous.^Citation27	Agree Disagree	Agree responses: 366 (63.8%) 486 (84.7%) 448 (78.0%) 192 (33.4%) 313 (54.5%)

Table 2. Sample demographics

N = 574	Number (Percent)
Age (years old) 18	122 (22.0%)
19–22	274 (49.5%)
Over 22	158 (28.5%)
Year in School Freshman	150 (27.5%)
Sophomore	79 (14.5%)
Junior	133 (24.4%)
Senior	101 (18.5%)
Graduate school	84 (15.2%)
Race White	353 (63.7%)
Black	23 (4.2%)
Asian	119 (21.5%)
Other race	79 (14.3%)
Ethnicity Hispanic	119 (21.5%)
Sexual Orientation Heterosexual	446 (80.5%)
Bisexual	32 (5.8%)
Homosexual	62 (11.2%)
Other orientation	14 (2.5%)
Student Status Full time student Part time student Other health information Has a primary care provider	514 (92.8%) 43 (7.5%) 457 (79.6%)
Has health insurance	512 (89.2%)
Currently sexually active	295 (51.4%)
Always use condoms Previous diagnosed with genital warts Previously diagnosed with any sexually transmitted infection	207 (35.1%) 11(1.9%) 37 (6.4%)

Table 3. Impact of demographic factors on HPV vaccine uptake and completion

Demographic variable	Initiated vaccine series (1+ doses)	Completed vaccine series (3 doses)
18 years old	3.33*	5.17**
	[1.28–8.65]	[1.59–16.87]
19–22 years old	2.38*	3.15*
	[1.10–5.12]	[1.20–8.22]
White	0.78	1.38
	[0.08–7.87]	[0.12–16.05]
Black	0.24	1.79
	[0.02–2.63]	[0.10–30.54]
Asian	0.55	1.65
	[0.06–5.32]	[0.16–16.9]
Other race	0.53	2.14
	[0.043–6.56]	[0.13 − 35.00]
Hispanic	2.30*	0.59
	[1.04–5.11]	[0.22–1.53]
Sexually active	1.72	2.50*
	[0.92–3.22]	[1.12–5.57]
Full-time student	1.77	0.83
	[0.46–6.84]	[0.15–4.46]
Heterosexual	1.11	0.27
	[0.34–3.62]	[0.056–1.34]
Homosexual	0.80	0.38
	[0.20–3.29]	[0.06–2.42]
Has a PCP	1.88	1.05
	[0.83–4.25]	[0.20–5.45]
Has health insurance	1.65	1.17
	[0.42–6.47]	[0.17–8.03]

Exponentiated coefficients; 95% confidence intervals in brackets

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001

Table 4. Psychosocial influences on HPV vaccine uptake and completion

	Initiated HPV vaccine series	Completed HPV vaccine series
Knowledge of HPV Risk Index	1.14	1.16
	[0.71–1.83]	[0.75–1.79]
Positive Attitude Index	0.79	0.95
	[0.51–1.24]	[0.60–1.52]
Perceived Social Norm Index	3.79***	2.83**
	[2.40–5.98]	[1.49–5.38]
HPV Stigma Index	0.92	1.25
	[0.63–1.35]	[0.81–1.95]
Behavioral Control (access) Index	0.58	0.30*
	[0.26–1.32]	[0.11–0.79]
Behavioral Control (communication) Index	2.06*	1.17
	[1.11–3.82]	[0.67–2.04]

Exponentiated coefficients; 95% confidence intervals in brackets

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001

Table 5. Impact of knowledge, awareness, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on students’ intention to vaccinate against HPV

	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
	Intention Index	Intention Index	Intention Index	Intention Index
Knowledge of HPV Risk Index	1.12	1.10	1.09	1.09
	[0.82–1.52]	[0.81–1.49]	[0.78–1.51]	[0.79–1.51]
Has heard of HPV vaccine	1.84	1.57	1.23	1.19
	[0.85–3.99]	[0.71–3.46]	[0.46–3.27]	[0.42–3.37]
Incorrect HPV Beliefs Index	0.98	1.01	1.22	1.20
	[0.70–1.38]	[0.73–1.40]	[0.81–1.82]	[0.77–1.88]
Positive attitude Index		2.10***	1.61*	1.60*
		[1.45–3.02]	[1.10–2.35]	[1.08–2.35]
Perceived positive social norm Index			3.36***	3.37***
			[2.23–5.05]	[2.22–5.13]
Behavioral Control (access) Index				1.50
				[0.70–3.18]
Behavioral Control (communication) Index				1.32 [0.86–2.01]
Social Stigma Index				1.01
				[0.71–1.45]

Exponentiated coefficients; 95% confidence intervals in brackets

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001

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