Meeting abstract

COMPARISON OF PARENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS HPV VACCINE IN CROATIA AND CANADA

Tin Šklebar ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Lorena Karla Rudež ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Kristian Dominik Rudež ; Health Center Borongaj, Health Center Zagreb - Istok, Zagreb, Croatia
Robert Likić ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Introduction: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted in-fections in the world. It is also very dangerous because of the wide variety of carcinomas it can cause. Vaccination is the only way of reducing or preventing the risk of developing carcinoma. In order for the vaccination to provide the best possible results, it is strongly advised to vaccinate children before their first contact with the virus.
Aim: Due to the significant differences in HPV vaccination rates between Croatia and Canada, the aim is to assess the decision-making and attitudes of parents towards HPV vaccination.
Methods: Two studies were compared. The first study was conducted in 2015. in Quebec, Canada with 806 participants and the other was conducted in 2019. in Zagreb, Croatia with 580 participants. The participants were parents with daughters aged 9 to 18 years. Both studies used standardized on-line questionnaires.
Results: Out of the 806 Canadian parents that provided responses, 708 (88%) parents accepted and 98 (12%) refused the vaccine for their daughters. The reasons for parents' acceptance was the benefits of vaccination, their doctors' recommendation and trusting the school immunisation program. Reasons for parental refusal included fear of side effects and also low susceptibility. In the Croatian study only 45.5% parents accepted the vaccine. Their reasons for accepting were general health protection and cancer prevention. The reasons for refusal were that the vaccine would allow sexual promiscuity at a younger age, lack of trust in public health organizations, lack of knowledge about HPV as well as be-lieving in conspiracy theories.
Conclusion: In contrast to Croatian parents, 42.5% more Canadian parents accepted the vaccine for their daughters. Perhaps the biggest causes of differences were that Canadians had more trust in their health organizations and were better informed, while Croats not only lacked in knowledge but were also misinformed due to relying on the internet as their primary source of information.

Keywords

HPV; vaccine; vaccination; prevention; parents

Hrčak ID:

232983

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/232983

Publication date:

31.12.2019.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 1.347 *