HPV vaccine for teen boys: Dyadic analysis of parents' and sons' beliefs and willingness

Objective: Parents and adolescents often decide together whether the child should receive human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. However, few studies have investigated the dyadic nature of beliefs that affect this process. Method: Data came from the 2010 HPV Immunization in Sons (HIS) Study, a national sample of 412 parents and their adolescent sons. We conducted dyadic multivariate logistic regression to examine the relationships between parents' and sons' HPV vaccine beliefs and their willingness to have the son receive the vaccine. Results: Less than half of parents and sons were willing to have the sons receive HPV vaccine (43% and 29%, respectively). Willing parents and sons anticipated greater regret if the son did not receive HPV vaccine but later contracted an HPV infection (parent odds ratio [OR] = 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-2.40; son OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.04-2.19) (both p < .05). Lower concerns about side effects, such as pain and fainting, were also associated with willingness. Conclusion: Parents and sons were more willing to have the son receive HPV vaccine if they had higher anticipated regret about potential HPV infection and lower concerns about side effects. Communication campaigns may be able to target these beliefs to increase parents' and sons' willingness to seek HPV vaccination.