Factors influencing mothers’ intention to vaccinate their elementary school sons against human papillomavirus

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing mothers’ intention to vaccinate their elementary-school sons against human papillomavirus (HPV). Methods The participants were 151 mothers of fourth- to sixth-grade boys at three elementary schools in Daejeon, Korea. The data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 25.0. Descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, the Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis were used. Results The mothers’ score for intention to vaccinate their sons against HPV was 5.04 out of 7. Self-efficacy (β=.60, p<.001) and subjective norms towards HPV vaccination (β=.30, p<.001) were significant factors influencing mothers’ intention to vaccinate their elementary-school sons against HPV. These factors accounted for 81.0% of HPV vaccination intention among mothers (F=160.84, p<.001). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that to increase the HPV vaccination rate for elementary-school boys, it is necessary to develop intervention strategies to improve mothers’ self-efficacy and subjective norms towards HPV vaccination and to verify the effects of those strategies. This research provides a foundation for designing interventions to increase the HPV vaccination rate of elementary-school boys.

Keywords

• papillomaviridae
• papillomavirus vaccines
• mothers
• intention