HPV vaccination uptake among Cambodian mothers

Abstract

Women of Southeast Asian descent have higher cervical cancer incidence rates than any other group. Widespread use of HPV vaccination could prevent up to 70% of cervical cancers. There is little published information addressing HPV vaccination uptake among Asian Americans. We conducted a survey of Cambodian women with daughters who were age-eligible for HPV vaccination. Survey items addressed HPV vaccination barriers, facilitators, and uptake. Only 26% of the survey participants reported any of their age-eligible daughters had received vaccination, and only 40% reported a previous physician recommendation for vaccination. Higher levels of vaccine uptake were strongly associated with having received a doctor's recommendation for vaccination (p < 0.001) and having asked a doctor for vaccination (p = 0.002). HPV vaccine uptake was relatively low in our Cambodian study group. Educational initiatives should encourage health care providers who serve Cambodian families to recommend HPV vaccination and empower Cambodian mothers to ask their daughters' doctors for vaccination.