Factors Influencing Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among Asian Immigrant College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Despite strenuous efforts to increase vaccination rates against human papillomavirus (HPV), the rate of vaccination remains low in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic poses an additional challenge to HPV vaccination. This study aimed to explore the factors that contribute to HPV vaccination among Asian immigrant college students, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), with HPV vaccine literacy and HPV vaccine hesitancy as additional constructs. This cross-sectional survey used convenience sampling, with133 Asian immigrant college students from New York City as study participants. Data were collected online using self-reported measures of the following study variables: HPV vaccine literacy, attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy, vaccine hesitancy, vaccination intention, and HPV vaccination. The data were analyzed using path analysis. Vaccine literacy and vaccination intention directly affected HPV vaccination. Vaccine subjective norms and literacy directly affected vaccination intention. Moreover, vaccine attitudes and self-efficacy directly and negatively affected vaccine hesitancy. These results indicate the importance of developing a multifaceted intervention that considers vaccine literacy and subjective norms to promote HPV vaccination of Asian immigrant college students. Interventions to decrease vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic should focus on improving positive attitudes and self-efficacy toward HPV vaccination.