Adherence to HPV vaccine by responsible of boys in an elementary school Dr. Afrânio de Mello Franco

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is directly related to carcinoma of the cervix, oropharynx, anus, and penis. HPV infection can be prevented by vaccination and since 2017. Both boys and girls have free access to the vaccine by Public Health System. The present study aimed to carry out an epidemiological survey on HPV vaccination in boys, between 2017 and 2018 at the Dr. Afrânio de Mello Franco municipal elementary school. METHODS: A transversal, descriptive and analytical study was carried out. The data were collected through the application of a questionnaire to those responsible for the children. RESULTS: It was observed that the vast majority of those responsible for the boys were women (90.48%). In general, 36.84% did not adhere to the HPV vaccination campaign, although 97.37% of them considered vaccination important, regardless whether they adhered or not to the vaccination campaign. Among the main reasons for the non-adherence was the lack of knowledge that boys can get the vaccine (42.86%), the age that they could receive the vaccine (21.43%), and the lack of time (21.43%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that non-adherence to vaccination in boys is mainly due to the lack of information on the vaccine, the HPV infection, correlation of the infection with cancer of the penis and cervix. Dissemination of that knowledge, mainly by television might improve adherence to the HPV vaccination.