Healthcare Providers Who Discuss HPV Vaccine Concerns With Parents are More Likely to be Successful in Having Teen Vaccinated

Parents hesitant about having their teenager vaccinated for the human papilloma virus (HPV) were more likely to agree to vaccination when a health care provider was persistent in addressing their concerns and questions, according to a qualitative study published in the June 2018 Pediatrics. The authors of the study, “Parent-Provider Communication of HPV Vaccine Hesitancy”​ (published online May 15), audio-recorded 43 visits with unvaccinated adolescents at six pediatric clinics in Dallas, Texas, in which parents were undecided about HPV vaccination. The study suggests that the provider’s strong and persistent vaccine endorsements paired with rationales may help reduce parental hesitancy. Most parents who first expressed hesitancy with a question or concern, and nearly a third who first expressed an assertive response, ultimately chose to vaccinate in the same visit. When health care providers acquiesced without any persistence, none of the teens received the HPV vaccine.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds