Associations between human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy and resistance and social media engagement

Abstract

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. More than 13 million Americans are infected each year. Typically, HPV infections will resolve without treatment, and many infected individuals are asymptomatic. However, in some cases, these infections can lead to penile, oral, vaginal, cervical, and/or anal cancer. With the rise in HPV infection rates, the need for vaccination is crucial in prevention of HPV-related infections and cancers. The CDC recently changed HPV vaccine guidelines to include individuals ages 27-45. Regardless of guideline changes, HPV vaccination rates are lower than other recommended vaccines, which may be due to antivaccination campaigns.

The purpose of the practice improvement project was to identify attitudes, beliefs, and barriers towards HPV vaccination and sources of vaccine information among residents, ages 18-45, in a rural North Dakota county. The project was conducted between May 2023 and June 2023. Participants completed an online survey via Qualtrics to assess views, social media usage, influences, and any potential barriers to HPV vaccination. Each participant who completed the survey were provided links to websites for further information on HPV and the vaccine.

Over 30% (n=9) of the 28 participants utilized search engines for their health and vaccine information, while 29% (n=8) utilized their primary care provider. Approximately 5% (n=2) of the participants utilized social media sites for their health and vaccine information. A majority (n = 18; 64.3%) of participants report they would receive the HPV vaccine if recommended by a provider. Rural providers were educated on survey results and determined that changes within their practice were needed to increase HPV vaccination rates. Providers identified the importance of increasing HPV vaccine uptake to help better serve their community. These providers planned to display an HPV infograph within their clinic and continue to offer the HPV vaccine at annual wellness visits. Continued HPV vaccine education provided by healthcare professionals is imperative to enhance HPV vaccine confidence and uptake, which has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with HPV and HPV-related cancers.