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Parental Acceptance of Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine for Their Pre-Pubertal and Teenage Daughters
Abstract
Objective: To determine the factors influencing parental acceptance of the HPV vaccine for their pre-pubertal (age group 9-14 years) daughters.
Design: Cross sectional study.
Setting: Four primary schools within Langata constituency in Nairobi County in June 2010.
Subject: Girls in Standard five to eight were selected for the study. A self explanatory one page questionnaire was given out to take to their mothers/guardian and returned in one week. Fifty mothers were then randomly selected from the returned questionnaires and an in depth telephone interview was conducted. The data entry and coding was done and analysed using SPSS version 15.
Results: In this study 68% of parents/guardians accepted that vaccination should be done but only 58% agreed that their daughters should be vaccinated, majority of the respondents were females, (women 82% and men 18 %). This observed difference across the genders was not statistically significant p=0.078. The level of education of the respondent (nil 2.7%, primary 6.6%, college /university 47.7% secondary 45.7%) the observed difference across the educational levels of agreeing to vaccination was not statistically significant p=0.898. The knowledge/awareness on cervical cancer and its relationship to HPV infection correlated with the level of education was found to have been statistically significant. The parents recommended age of vaccination was 11-13 year (58%). Parent/guardians suggested age of vaccination and HPV vaccine acceptance was significant correlated with the vaccination acceptance by the parents p=0.009. This study has shown that the recommended age of vaccination by parents is 11-13years age group which was similar to findings done in many countries.
Conclusion: There was poor knowledge on the relationship between HPV infection and cervical cancer. The acceptable age of vaccine administration was 11-13 years
Design: Cross sectional study.
Setting: Four primary schools within Langata constituency in Nairobi County in June 2010.
Subject: Girls in Standard five to eight were selected for the study. A self explanatory one page questionnaire was given out to take to their mothers/guardian and returned in one week. Fifty mothers were then randomly selected from the returned questionnaires and an in depth telephone interview was conducted. The data entry and coding was done and analysed using SPSS version 15.
Results: In this study 68% of parents/guardians accepted that vaccination should be done but only 58% agreed that their daughters should be vaccinated, majority of the respondents were females, (women 82% and men 18 %). This observed difference across the genders was not statistically significant p=0.078. The level of education of the respondent (nil 2.7%, primary 6.6%, college /university 47.7% secondary 45.7%) the observed difference across the educational levels of agreeing to vaccination was not statistically significant p=0.898. The knowledge/awareness on cervical cancer and its relationship to HPV infection correlated with the level of education was found to have been statistically significant. The parents recommended age of vaccination was 11-13 year (58%). Parent/guardians suggested age of vaccination and HPV vaccine acceptance was significant correlated with the vaccination acceptance by the parents p=0.009. This study has shown that the recommended age of vaccination by parents is 11-13years age group which was similar to findings done in many countries.
Conclusion: There was poor knowledge on the relationship between HPV infection and cervical cancer. The acceptable age of vaccine administration was 11-13 years
