Human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and vaccine receptivity among Senegalese adolescents.

Objective To examine HPV vaccine awareness and receptivity among adolescents and young adults in Senegal. Methods Participants from 6 high schools and 5 community centers across five regions of Senegal (n=2,286) completed a self-administered questionnaire in October and November 2014. The study assessed HPV awareness and receptivity toward receiving the HPV vaccine. Multivariable logistic regression explored statistically significant relationships between the predictor variables and both outcomes. Results 27% had heard of HPV. Among those who had heard of HPV (n=616), only 28% indicated willingness to vaccinate. Multivariable analysis showed that respondents from rural areas had 63% higher odds (95% CI: 1.24, 2.12) of having heard of HPV than those in urban areas. Respondents with fathers who had completed higher education 41% higher odds (95% CI: 1.04, 1.92) of being aware of HPV (p <0.05); however, every level of father's education (as compared to no education at all) was negatively associated with willingness to vaccinate. Respondents who had previously spoken to a healthcare professional about the HPV vaccine had 80% higher odds (95% CI: 1.16, 2.81) of willingness to vaccinate than those who did not speak to a provider about the vaccine. Conclusions Health care providers and parents are important stakeholders in disseminating HPV vaccine information. Given the overall low levels of awareness, there is a great opportunity for public health communication efforts to craft health messaging and information in a way to maximize receptivity, outlining benefits and providing information on the minimal risks associated with the vaccine. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.