While seeking to combat the politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health measures, many researchers are concerned that some negative views towards COVID-19 vaccines could extend beyond COVID-19 into other beneficial vaccines. In a recently published study in the journal Vaccine, a team of researchers from seven universities, including Drexel University, conducted a nationwide survey to measure whether the COVID-19 pandemic had such an effect on views about Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
After surveying 557 parents and caregivers of adolescents about whether the pandemic affected their views toward HPV vaccination, researchers received somewhat encouraging news—70% thought their views had not changed, 26% felt more positively toward vaccination, and only 4% felt more negatively about routine HPV vaccines. Also, eight out of 10 respondents said they were definitely or likely to vaccinate their child against HPV, while only 12% were uncertain and 7% said they were unlikely to vaccinate.
Researchers drilled deeper into these findings and found that likelihood to vaccinate was higher among those with more formal education, identified as religious, those affiliated with the Democratic party, and those living in an urban area. The survey was conducted March through July 2022.
Ann Klassen, PhD, a professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health and the study’s lead author, shared her surprising takeaways from the study, obstacles that prevent people from receiving necessary vaccines, and whether we can expect HPV vaccination to increase in the years ahead.
Can you explain the “3 Cs” of vaccine hesitancy and how they were used in this study?
When we work to encourage the uptake of a new vaccine, we know that there are different reasons some people may lag behind others. Delay in vaccination can be driven by three broad types of barriers: poor convenience related to getting a vaccine, such as access issues or fears about mild side effects; low confidence in both the specific vaccine and vaccination overall; and complacency about the threat posed by vaccine-preventable diseases and the need for vaccination. We use the 3 Cs and related frameworks in studies like ours to understand which barriers are relevant to each specific segment of the population, so we can craft tailored and effective public health campaigns.
Anything surprising to you about these findings? Were you surprised by the intention to vaccinate being higher among those reporting greater religiosity?
I think we would say we were pleasantly reassured by this positive association. Unfortunately, there are negative stereotypes in the U.S. about how religious participation shapes views on issues, but in reality, about three out of four U.S. adults report some sort of religious beliefs. Public health has had great success partnering with faith-based organizations when we do the work of aligning our persuasive messages – about vaccination or any topic – with the culture and values of these communities. All good public health campaigns start with listening.
Another positive unexpected finding was that among the small proportion of parents who said COVID-19 changed their views on vaccines, the majority said their views became more positive. This is really good news and, to our knowledge, is new information that vaccine promotion campaigns should take advantage of.
Any advice for best strategies to gain support from parents for the full spectrum of vaccines across childhood and young adulthood?
Parents can have hesitancy towards specific vaccines, or, more commonly, lose commitment to any more vaccines once the more familiar early childhood vaccinations are completed. So, we need to use persuasive messages about vaccination as an ongoing health strategy in adolescence and throughout adulthood, not just what children need to start school.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that HPV vaccination rates are improving, yet only about 6 in 10 adolescents ages 13 to 15 have received it. Considering that 81% of respondents in your study said they were definitely or very likely to vaccinate their child against HPV, what does this suggest about what you expect vaccination rates to look like in the next few years?
We expect that uptake will continue to grow. However, it may take time to recover from the pandemic drop off, and we need to remind parents about the need to catch up on any vaccines that were postponed during the pandemic.
Other authors on the study include Giyoung Lee from Drexel, Shawn Chiang from Texas A&M University, Regan Murray from the University of Arkansas, Mengfei Guan from University of Oklahoma, Wen-Juo Lo and Larry Hill from University of Arkansas, Amy E. Leader from Thomas Jefferson University, Jennifer Manganello from University at Albany, State University of New York, and senior author Philip M. Massey of UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, recipient of the National Institutes of Health R01 grant that supported the study.
Reporters interested in talking to Klassen should contact Greg Richter, assistant director, News & Media Relations, at 215-895-2614 or gdr33@drexel.edu.
