Analysis of HPV Vaccine Information on Influential Blog Sites: A Snapshot Amid the 2011 Republican Presidential Primary Debates

Abstract

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Two vaccines have been approved to protect against the virus. Politicians have pushed for legislation to increase HPV vaccination rates and stop the spread of this cancer-causing disease. During the Republican presidential primary of 2011, HPV vaccination mandates, which require young girls entering the 6th grade to receive the vaccine, became a controversial issue. This study examined 167 unique blog posts on influential blog sites, in the wake of increased political attention to the issue of HPV vaccination mandates, to determine how the HPV vaccine is discussed online. Our analysis revealed significant differences in presentation of health information and general tone toward the vaccine between blog entries posted on different types of sites. Blog posts on political and general news sites were more negative toward the HPV vaccine than posts on health and science sites. On the issue of HPV vaccination mandates, bloggers seemed deeply divided, no matter the type of site. However, political and general news sites were more likely to highlight conspiracies between the government and vaccine manufacturers. Results show there is a considerable amount of debate regarding the HPV vaccine and HPV vaccination mandates in the blogosphere. Implications of the findings for vaccine risk communication are discussed.