HPV literacy and its link to initiation and completion of HPV vaccine among young adults in Minnesota

H. Y. Lee, J. Lee, C. Henning-Smith, J. Choi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives This study identifies whether, and how, human papillomavirus (HPV) literacy and predisposing, enabling, and need factors are associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion among young adults in Minnesota. Study design Cross-sectional survey design. Methods Using a sample of 170 young adults (aged 18–26 years), we used logistic regression models to identify factors associated with HPV vaccination initiation and completion, including HPV literacy, adjusting for relevant predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Results Consistent with national estimates, we found relatively low rates of HPV vaccination initiation (46%) and completion (36%). Better HPV literacy was significantly associated with higher rates of both initiation and completion, as was being female and having an annual check-up. Being married/partnered was significantly associated with lower odds of HPV vaccination. Conclusions Public health programs, policy-makers, and healthcare providers can use these results to increase HPV vaccination rates by making concerted efforts to improve HPV vaccination literacy through individual and public education campaigns and by improving access to annual check-ups.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)172-178
Number of pages7
JournalPublic Health
Volume152
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2017

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research project was jointly funded by the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center and Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station [grant number MIN-55-017 ].

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health

Keywords

  • Health literacy
  • Human papillomavirus
  • Predisposing factors
  • Vaccination

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