Teenagers protected by HPV vaccine shield

HPV Vaccine Hesitancy: Why Parents Aren't Vaccinating and What You Can Do

Q: What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and why is the HPV vaccine so important?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can lead to severe health issues, including several types of cancer. The HPV vaccine is crucial because it is a powerful preventive tool against HPV-related diseases. It protects against the strains of HPV most likely to cause cancer. Despite the vaccine's availability for females since 2006 and males since 2010, vaccination rates are below desired levels, highlighting the importance of understanding and addressing parental concerns.

Q: What were the main reasons cited by parents in 2010 and 2016 for not vaccinating their adolescents against HPV?

The reasons behind parental hesitancy shifted between 2010 and 2016. For female adolescents, safety concerns and lack of necessity were the most common reasons in both years. The study also revealed that in 2010 and 2016, lack of knowledge and lack of provider recommendation were also cited. Notably, concerns about the child's lack of sexual activity decreased. For male adolescents, safety concerns showed an increase, while lack of necessity, lack of recommendation, and lack of knowledge decreased slightly. Concerns about the child's lack of sexual activity and gender also decreased.

Q: How have parental concerns about the HPV vaccine changed over time, and what does this mean for healthcare providers?

The study indicates a significant shift in parental concerns regarding the HPV vaccine. Concerns related to sexuality and gender have decreased, while safety concerns and the perceived lack of necessity remain prominent. For healthcare providers, this means that messages must be tailored to address these current concerns. Providing clear, evidence-based information about vaccine safety and clearly communicating the importance of the HPV vaccine for cancer prevention are essential strategies to improve vaccination rates.

Q: What are the key strategies healthcare providers and public health officials should use to improve HPV vaccination rates, according to this information?

To improve HPV vaccination rates, healthcare providers and public health officials should focus on addressing current parental concerns. The strategies include: addressing safety concerns with transparent, evidence-based information, clearly communicating the importance of HPV vaccination for cancer prevention (necessity), providing comprehensive information about HPV and the vaccine (knowledge), and ensuring strong and timely provider recommendations for both genders. This shift in approach is crucial due to the changes in the primary concerns parents express.

Q: Considering the impact of HPV, what are the implications of low vaccination rates in the United States?

Low HPV vaccination rates have significant implications for public health. Approximately 31,500 HPV-attributable cancers are diagnosed annually in the United States, affecting both men and women. The Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% series completion has not been met, with only 50% of females and 38% of males completing the vaccine series as of 2016. This means that a substantial number of individuals remain at risk of developing HPV-related cancers. Increasing vaccination rates is essential to reduce the burden of these diseases and improve overall public health outcomes.

Samir D’Costa in Health & Wellness June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Uncover the shifting reasons behind HPV vaccine reluctance and learn how to address parental concerns about safety and necessity to increase vaccination rates."

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus, yet it can lead to serious health consequences, including various types of cancer. Vaccination is a powerful tool in preventing HPV-related diseases, but uptake remains lower than desired. Understanding why parents hesitate to vaccinate their children is critical to improving public health outcomes.

In the United States, approximately 31,500 HPV-attributable cancers are diagnosed annually, affecting both men and women. While the HPV vaccine has been available for females since 2006 and males since 2010, vaccination rates still lag behind the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% series completion. As of 2016, only 50% of females and 38% of males had completed the vaccine series, highlighting the urgent need to address vaccine hesitancy.

A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health sheds light on the evolving reasons behind parental reluctance to initiate HPV vaccination. By analyzing data from the National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) from 2010 to 2016, researchers identified key shifts in parental concerns, offering valuable insights for healthcare providers and public health officials seeking to improve vaccination rates.

Shifting Sands: Understanding Evolving Parental Concerns

Teenagers protected by HPV vaccine shield

The study reveals a significant shift in the reasons parents give for not vaccinating their adolescents against HPV. While concerns about sexuality and gender have decreased over time, other factors, such as safety concerns and perceived lack of necessity, remain prevalent.

For female adolescents, safety concerns were the most commonly cited reason for vaccine hesitancy in both 2010 (23%) and 2016 (22%). Other reasons, such as lack of necessity (21% vs. 20%), lack of knowledge (14% vs. 13%), and lack of provider recommendation (9% vs. 10%), remained relatively stable during this period. Notably, concerns about the child's lack of sexual activity decreased significantly, from 19% in 2010 to 10% in 2016 (p < .01).

Safety First: Address safety concerns head-on with transparent, evidence-based information.
Necessity Matters: Clearly communicate the importance of HPV vaccination for cancer prevention.
Knowledge is Power: Provide comprehensive information about HPV and the vaccine.
Recommendation Counts: Ensure strong and timely provider recommendations for both genders.

For male adolescents, similar trends were observed. While lack of necessity (24% vs. 22%), lack of recommendation (22% vs. 17%), and lack of knowledge (16% vs. 14%) decreased slightly from 2010 to 2016 (p < .05), safety concerns increased significantly, from 5% to 14% (p < .01). Additionally, concerns related to the child's lack of sexual activity (16% vs. 9%) and gender (13% vs. 2%) also decreased during this period.

Key Takeaways and Future Directions

The study underscores the importance of tailoring vaccine messages to address current parental concerns. With concerns about sexuality and gender declining, healthcare providers and public health officials should focus on providing clear and accurate information about vaccine safety and necessity. By addressing these persistent concerns, it is possible to improve HPV vaccination rates and reduce the burden of HPV-related diseases in the United States.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.06.024, Alternate LINK

Title: Reasons For Lack Of Hpv Vaccine Initiation In Nis-Teen Over Time: Shifting The Focus From Gender And Sexuality To Necessity And Safety

Subject: Psychiatry and Mental health

Journal: Journal of Adolescent Health

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Anna Beavis, Melinda Krakow, Kimberly Levinson, Anne F. Rositch

Published: 2018-11-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and why is the HPV vaccine so important?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can lead to severe health issues, including several types of cancer. The HPV vaccine is crucial because it is a powerful preventive tool against HPV-related diseases. It protects against the strains of HPV most likely to cause cancer. Despite the vaccine's availability for females since 2006 and males since 2010, vaccination rates are below desired levels, highlighting the importance of understanding and addressing parental concerns.

What were the main reasons cited by parents in 2010 and 2016 for not vaccinating their adolescents against HPV?

The reasons behind parental hesitancy shifted between 2010 and 2016. For female adolescents, safety concerns and lack of necessity were the most common reasons in both years. The study also revealed that in 2010 and 2016, lack of knowledge and lack of provider recommendation were also cited. Notably, concerns about the child's lack of sexual activity decreased. For male adolescents, safety concerns showed an increase, while lack of necessity, lack of recommendation, and lack of knowledge decreased slightly. Concerns about the child's lack of sexual activity and gender also decreased.

How have parental concerns about the HPV vaccine changed over time, and what does this mean for healthcare providers?

The study indicates a significant shift in parental concerns regarding the HPV vaccine. Concerns related to sexuality and gender have decreased, while safety concerns and the perceived lack of necessity remain prominent. For healthcare providers, this means that messages must be tailored to address these current concerns. Providing clear, evidence-based information about vaccine safety and clearly communicating the importance of the HPV vaccine for cancer prevention are essential strategies to improve vaccination rates.

What are the key strategies healthcare providers and public health officials should use to improve HPV vaccination rates, according to this information?

To improve HPV vaccination rates, healthcare providers and public health officials should focus on addressing current parental concerns. The strategies include: addressing safety concerns with transparent, evidence-based information, clearly communicating the importance of HPV vaccination for cancer prevention (necessity), providing comprehensive information about HPV and the vaccine (knowledge), and ensuring strong and timely provider recommendations for both genders. This shift in approach is crucial due to the changes in the primary concerns parents express.

Considering the impact of HPV, what are the implications of low vaccination rates in the United States?

Low HPV vaccination rates have significant implications for public health. Approximately 31,500 HPV-attributable cancers are diagnosed annually in the United States, affecting both men and women. The Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% series completion has not been met, with only 50% of females and 38% of males completing the vaccine series as of 2016. This means that a substantial number of individuals remain at risk of developing HPV-related cancers. Increasing vaccination rates is essential to reduce the burden of these diseases and improve overall public health outcomes.