HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening promotion among Black individuals: social ecological perspectives from key informants interviews

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Rates of HPV infection and HPV-related cancers are elevated in the Black population of the US. Efforts to promote HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening are important to reducing the cancer burden among Black populations. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study guided by social ecological model (SEM) was to describe from the perspective of key informants, the challenges and opportunities for HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening promotion among Black adults.

Design

Twenty-three key informants participated in individual interviews over zoom video conferencing. The sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and checked for accuracy prior to data analysis. Two qualitatively trained researchers analyzed the data using content analysis.

Results

Participants were aged 50 ± 4.1 years, 12 were females, and 18 identified as Black. Participants included health care providers, teachers, church and community leaders. Themes included HPV and cancer literacy, influence of religion, health care provider recommendations, social and cultural influences, accessibility and availability of services, economic constraints, limited community resources, and HPV vaccine mandates.

Conclusions

SEM factors contribute to low HPV vaccine uptake and cervical cancer screening and these factors need to be addressed. Interventions addressing SEM factors peculiar to Black populations may promote HPV vaccination and cancer screening in this population.

KEYWORDS:

• Cancer screening
• HPV vaccination
• social ecological model (SEM)
• Black populations
• key informants
• interviews

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Authors' contributions

Adebola Adegboyega: conceptualization, methodology; Adebola Adegboyega, Desmennu Adeyimika, Obielodan Omoadoni: data analysis; Adebola Adegboyega, Desmennu Adeyimika, Obielodan Omoadoni: Writing – Original draft preparation; Writing – Reviewing and Editing: Adebola Adegboyega, Mark Dignan.

Ethical statement

The Institutional Review Board at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky [protocol number 55357], approved the study. Participants provided consent prior to study commencement.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute: [grant number 3P30CA177558-08S1] University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center - Cancer Center Support Grant. Geographical Management of Cancer Health Disparities (GMaP) Supplement. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsors.