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. 2024 Jun;11(3):1557-1563.
doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01631-4. Epub 2023 May 17.

HPV Vaccine Misperceptions Among Hispanics/Latinos in Southern California

Christina Santana  1 , Heather A Pines  1   2 , Hector Lemus  1 , Maria Elena Martinez  2   3 , Jesse N Nodora  2   3 , Salma Parra Pulgarin  2 , Noe C Crespo  1   3 , Hala Madanat  1   4 , Corinne McDaniels-Davidson  5   6
Affiliations

HPV Vaccine Misperceptions Among Hispanics/Latinos in Southern California

Christina Santana et al. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Cervical and other vaccine-preventable HPV-associated cancers disproportionately impact Hispanic/Latinos in the USA. HPV vaccine uptake may be impacted by community agreement with common HPV vaccine misperceptions. It is unknown whether Hispanics/Latinos have a greater agreement with these misperceptions relative to non-Hispanic whites.

Methods: HPV vaccine misperceptions were assessed through a 12-item Likert scale included in a population health assessment mailed to households in the southwest United States. Linear regression models assessed the association between identifying as Hispanic/Latino and summed misperception score.

Results: Among the 407 individuals in the analytic sample, 111 (27.3%) were Hispanic/Latino and 296 (72.7%) were non-Hispanic white. On average, Hispanics/Latinos had a 3.03-point higher HPV vaccine misperception sum score relative to non-Hispanic whites, indicating greater agreement with misperceptions (95% confidence interval: 1.16-4.88; p < 0.01).

Discussion: Culturally relevant interventions are needed to address HPV vaccine misperceptions among Hispanics/Latinos as part of efforts toward HPV-associated cancer health equity.

Keywords: HPV; HPV vaccine; Hispanic; Latino; Misperceptions.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
HPV vaccine misperception scale items
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Directed acyclic graph depicting hypothesized causal interrelationship among Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, HPV vaccine misperceptions, and relevant covariates
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Box plots reflecting sample variability in HPV vaccine misperception sum scores between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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