Parents encouraged to participate in HPV vaccination discussion

Krieger JL. Hum Comm Res. 2011;doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.2010.01395.x.

Issue: February 2011

College-age women who talked to their mothers about the human papillomavirus vaccine were more likely than others to get vaccinated, according to the results of a study appearing online.

“Mothers talking to their daughters were an important factor in whether young women were vaccinated,” Janice Krieger, PhD, from Ohio State University, said in a press release. “It is an encouraging finding, because it shows that communication between mothers and daughters can be very helpful, even if it may be difficult.”

The researchers reported on a survey of 182 mother-daughter pairs. The daughters mailed a questionnaire about the HPV vaccine to their mothers and completed a similar questionnaire for themselves.

Overall, 137 of the mother-daughter pairs had talked about the HPV vaccine, whereas 45 pairs did not discuss the vaccine. The key for daughters getting the vaccine was having mothers who discussed the HPV vaccine with their daughter and who reported believing that the vaccine was safe and effective.

Fears about HPV susceptibility and about the severity of HPV-caused illness on the parts of mothers or daughters were not related to whether they talked about the issue.

Krieger said encouraging dialogue between mothers and young women may be a motivator for vaccinations because the costs of the vaccines are $360 to $600, and young women may not have the money to purchase the HPV vaccine.

“Mothers may be afraid to bring up the topic, but it doesn’t have to be a conversation focused on sex. Mothers can talk about how the HPV vaccine is safe and effective and that it prevents cancer,” Krieger said. “If parents have the ability to pay for the vaccine, that could really help, as well.”

Disclosures: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.

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