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A study by CUNY SPH researchers illustrates how mistrust, misinformation, and concerns about autonomy contribute to low HPV vaccine uptake among U.S. adolescents.
For the study, Associate Professor Spring Cooper, doctoral students Ira Memaj, Ingrid Williams, and Aisha King, and colleagues surveyed more than 1,000 parents and caregivers across the Northeast and Southeast and conducted in-depth interviews with 41 vaccine-hesitant participants. The analysis revealed four key themes driving hesitancy: fears about side effects and vaccine effectiveness, deep-seated mistrust in government and health systems, heavy reliance on social media for health information, and discomfort around the HPV vaccine’s association with sexual activity.
The researchers found that parents often struggled to balance concerns about their child’s maturity and autonomy with the need to protect them from HPV-related cancers. Low health and media literacy further complicated these decisions.
“Effective, trust-based communication from healthcare providers is critical to overcoming these barriers,” says Cooper. “Tailored discussions that address specific parental concerns, provide transparent information, and improve health literacy could lead to stronger HPV vaccination rates nationwide.”
