Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States and etiologically linked to several types of cancers including the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynges. Evidence indicates certain types of HPV-associated cancers disproportionally affect Latinos in the United States. This qualitative study sought to explore Latina mothers' perceptions and understanding of HPV infection, HPV-associated cancers, and the HPV vaccination for their adolescent sons and daughters. Twenty-two individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted in 2018-2019 with mothers who had at least one child between the ages of 11 and 19 years. Data were analyzed using a hybrid method of thematic analysis that incorporated deductive and inductive approaches. Two major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) mothers' (mis) understanding about HPV infection transmission and HPV-associated cancer risk for girls and boys, and (2) mothers' (mis) understandings about the HPV vaccination for girls and boys. Results found that most mothers had inadequate understanding of HPV transmission, HPV-associated cancer risk for males, and need to vaccinate boys against the virus for their own personal health and prevention of HPV-associated cancers. Findings suggest that interventions should focus on improving Latina mothers' understanding of HPV transmission, addressing the lack or inadequate knowledge about HPV-associated cancer risk for males, as well as misconceptions about the importance of the HPV vaccination for males for their personal health and the prevention of HPV-associated cancers. Future research should quantify Latino parents' awareness, knowledge, and acceptability of the HPV vaccine for their sons and daughters.
Keywords: Cervical cancer; Education; HPV; HPV vaccine; Hispanic; Human papillomavirus; Latino; Qualitative research.
© 2020. American Association for Cancer Education.