The influence of medical providers on HPV vaccination among children of Mexican mothers: a comparison between Mexico and the Midwest region of the United States

BMC Public Health. 2019 May 6;19(1):515. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6718-0.

Abstract

Background: Among cervical cancer patients in the U.S., a disproportionate number are Hispanics/Latinos. Also, about a third of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer annually in Mexico die of the disease. Vaccines are available to protect against HPV, the cause of cervical cancer.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 mothers of Mexican origin in the U.S. Midwest and Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Based on a validated bilingual questionnaire, this study elicited information about knowledge and attitudes regarding HPV vaccination and cervical cancer.

Results: Mothers living in Mexico showed better knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccine (77.8%) than participants living in the U.S. (48%) p < .0001. Logistic regression revealed that receiving information about the HPV vaccine from medical providers was a significant predictor of mothers' willingness to vaccinate their children.

Conclusions: A need for increasing public health education of Mexican mothers in the Midwest on HPV/HPV vaccination, may lead to improving utilization of the vaccination and eventually a reduction of cervical cancer. HPV vaccination for boys is critical for reducing the risk of transmission to sexual partners and decreasing the risk of HPV- related diseases in the population. Therefore, we recommend increasing efforts to vaccine boys and increasing knowledge that boys must also be vaccinated, especially in Mexico.

Keywords: HPV; Hispanic/Latinos health; Knowledge; Minorities; Vaccination.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / ethnology
  • Health Personnel / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mexican Americans / psychology*
  • Mexican Americans / statistics & numerical data
  • Mexico
  • Middle Aged
  • Midwestern United States
  • Mothers / psychology*
  • Mothers / statistics & numerical data
  • Papillomavirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Papillomavirus Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / ethnology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Physician-Patient Relations*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / ethnology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / prevention & control

Substances

  • Papillomavirus Vaccines