Chinese mothers' intention to vaccinate daughters against human papillomavirus (HPV), and their vaccine preferences: a study in Fujian Province

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2021 Jan 2;17(1):304-315. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1756152. Epub 2020 May 13.

Abstract

Little is known regarding Chinese mothers' intention to vaccinate their daughters against human papillomavirus (HPV) since the HPV vaccine was approved for use in China in 2016. The aim was to explore maternal HPV vaccination acceptance, preference for 2-, 4- or 9-valent HPV vaccine and acceptance of domestically manufactured HPV vaccines. Study participants were mothers of primary school children in Southeastern region of Fujian. An online cross-sectional survey was undertaken between June and August 2019. Among the total of 3,586 completed responses (response rate 28.5%), the intention to vaccinate daughter against HPV was high (83.3%). Higher maternal education and perceived benefit and barriers were associated with greater intention to vaccinate. Among mothers who did not intend to vaccinate their daughters, the three most common reasons were daughter being too young to receive HPV vaccination (40.6%), fear of side effects (31.9%) and vaccine price is too high (16.0%). The largest proportion (41.4%) preferred their daughter to be vaccinated with the 9-valent HPV vaccine (9vHPV). Greater preference for 9vHPVwas strongly associated with higher maternal education level and annual household income. The majority of mothers expressed a preference for imported HPV vaccine (56.3%). Our result indicates that lower intentions to vaccinate daughters against HPV among less educated and lower-income mothers may lead to significant social inequalities in HPV vaccine uptake in the country.

Keywords: HPV vaccine; Mothers’ intention to vaccinate; daughter.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alphapapillomavirus*
  • Child
  • China
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Intention
  • Mothers
  • Nuclear Family
  • Papillomaviridae
  • Papillomavirus Infections* / prevention & control
  • Papillomavirus Vaccines*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Papillomavirus Vaccines

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the following grants: 1) Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, China [Grant No. 2018J01825]; 2) Cultivation Program for Distinguished Young Scholar in Fujian Province University, China [Grant No. 2017B020]; 3) Fujian Medical University’s Research Foundation for Talented Scholars, China [Grant No. XRCZX2017012], and 4) National Key R&D Program of China [Grant No.2017YFC0907100]. All funding sources were not involved in study design, data collection, data analysis, report writing, nor the publication.