Midadult women's attitudes about receiving the prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccine

To determine midadult (age, > or =25 years) women's attitudes about receiving the prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Four hundred seventy-two women 25 years or older completed a 46-question survey, read an educational sheet about HPV and HPV vaccines, and then completed a 23-item survey. Frequency data were reported, and interventional effects measured by Bowker test of symmetry.

After educational intervention, 50% of mid-adult women wanted to receive the vaccine, and 34.3% were undecided. A desire to be healthy (48.9%), prevent cervical cancer (42.8%), and fear of cervical cancer (35.8%) were the most common reasons for wanting the vaccine. The main reasons for not wanting the vaccine included being in a monogamous relationship (29.5%), not being at risk for acquiring HPV (15.0%), and practicing safe sex (10.8%).

Midadult women have a high level of acceptance for the HPV vaccine. Our findings help support future implementation of the vaccine in this catch-up population of receptive women.