Perceptions of the HPV Vaccine in Indian Immigrant Mothers

Abstract

Each year, over 14 millions Americans are infected with human papillomavirus, or HPV. Yet, the 2020 US goal is to vaccinate 80% of all adolescents for HPV is over 25% higher than the actual vaccination rate of teens, which was 54.2% in 2019. In California specifically, Asians were found to have the lowest HPV vaccination rates compared to other ethnic groups. When looking at the major Asian subgroups, the Indian American population has grown by 76% between 2000 and 2010 in Santa Clara County. Yet, no previous studies have been conducted about the Indian immigrant population. Thus, this paper explores the following research question: How do Indian immigrant mothers in Santa Clara County, California perceive vaccinating their daughters for HPV? 
 A phenomenological study using one-on-one virtual interviews was conducted using two question frameworks to structure the interview questions: the Socio-Context framework and Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services. Indian immigrant mothers’ were found to significantly prioritize their daughter’s safety. Another notable theme was that there was a strong trust in the overall science of vaccines to keep the daughters safe. Although many mothers believed that the HPV vaccine was a decision solely between the parents and the doctor, some mothers believed that their community would be influenced fairly strongly by the actions of their family and friends regarding vaccinating their children for HPV. Overall, this study examined the HPV vaccine perception in an understudied population, Indian immigrant mothers in California.