Impact of the information for HPV vaccination given to parents with girls in the age of 11-14

Objectives: Vaccination against human papillomaviruses (HPV) prevents over 70% of precancerous lesions leading to cervical cancer. In 2016 in France, 19.5% of girls aged 16 benefited from a comprehensive immunisation strategy, contrarily to countries like Sweden and Great-Britain where that rate nears 80%. The study aim was to evaluate the impact on HPV vaccination of information given to parents of girls aged 11 to 14.Study design: A descriptive study used questionnaires to evaluate parents’ knowledge and opinion on HPV vaccination before and after reading an information leaflet. It included parents of girls aged 11 to 14 not previously vaccinated against HPV. Results: There were 106 questionnaires analysed. The initial level of information was poor: 10 of 11 questions assessing knowledge scored below 50% of correct answers. After reading the leaflet, knowledge increased significantly while adherence rose by 74%. Among the 51% initially undecided, 20% intended on vaccinating their daughter after being informed. Conclusion: The leaflet enhanced knowledge and strengthened intention to vaccinate. However, parents’ adherence to vaccination remained moderate. Digital information must be provided alongside communication campaigns by healthcare professionals. This requires identifying levers and barriers and adapting vaccination strategies