Asking about human papillomavirus vaccination and the usefulness of registry validation: a study of young women recruited using Facebook

Bharathy Gunasekaran; Yasmin Jayasinghe; Julia M L Brotherton; Yeshe Fenner; Elya E Moore; John D Wark; Ashley Fletcher; Sepehr N Tabrizi; Suzanne M Garland

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.11.002

Asking about human papillomavirus vaccination and the usefulness of registry validation: a study of young women recruited using Facebook

Vaccine. 2015 Feb 4;33(6):826-31. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.11.002. Epub 2014 Nov 12.

Authors

Bharathy Gunasekaran¹, Yasmin Jayasinghe², Julia M L Brotherton³, Yeshe Fenner⁴, Elya E Moore⁵, John D Wark⁶, Ashley Fletcher⁴, Sepehr N Tabrizi⁷, Suzanne M Garland⁸

Affiliations

¹ Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
² Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Gynaecology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
³ National HPV Vaccination Program Register, VCS Inc., East Melbourne, Victoria 8002, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
⁴ Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
⁵ Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
⁶ Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia; Bone and Mineral Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
⁷ Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
⁸ Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Microbiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia. Electronic address: Suzanne.Garland@thewomens.org.au.

PMID: 25444782
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.11.002

Abstract

Background: Australia was the first country to implement a government-funded National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Programme. We assessed HPV vaccine uptake comparing self-reported and Register validated estimates, and the knowledge and attitudes of young women with regards to HPV vaccination post-implementation of the programme.

Methods: Females, aged 16-25 years living in Victoria, Australia, were recruited using targeted advertising on Facebook from May to September 2010, to complete a web-based questionnaire.

Results: Geographic distribution, Indigenous and socio-economic status of the 278 participants were representative of the target population. Overall, 210/278 (76%) had heard of HPV vaccines, with 162/278 (58%) reporting receipt of at least one dose of vaccine, and 54 (19%) unsure. Verification of HPV vaccination status of 142 consenting participants (51%) showed 71% had received at least one dose. Main reasons for vaccination were for protection against HPV infection and cervical cancer (96%) and because it was free (87%), whereas unvaccinated women were uncertain of their eligibility (50%), concerned about adverse reactions (32%), or perceived that vaccination was not needed if they were monogamous (32%).

Conclusion: The potential utility of a vaccination register in the context of a national programme is apparent from the large proportion of young women who were unsure of their vaccine status. HPV vaccine knowledge among participants was relatively high suggesting the national programme has successfully communicated to the majority of eligible women, the purpose and limitations of the vaccine. Vigilance is needed to ensure that young women follow through with Pap testing in vaccine eligible cohorts. The ongoing vaccination programme for pre-adolescent girls and boys should communicate to parents that those with one sexual partner can still acquire HPV and that the safety of the vaccine is now well demonstrated.

Keywords: Australia; Human papillomavirus; Knowledge; Uptake; Vaccine; Young women.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Alphapapillomavirus / immunology
Blogging / statistics & numerical data
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Immunization Programs / statistics & numerical data
Papillomavirus Infections / immunology
Papillomavirus Infections / prevention & control*
Papillomavirus Infections / virology
Papillomavirus Vaccines / administration & dosage*
Papillomavirus Vaccines / immunology
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology*
Registries*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / immunology
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / prevention & control*
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / virology
Vaccination / psychology*
Vaginal Smears
Victoria

Substances

Papillomavirus Vaccines