Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
How acceptable is adolescent self-consent for the HPV vaccination: Findings from a qualitative study in south-west
Suzanne Audrey1, Michelle Farr2, Marion Roderick3
1Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Background:
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes have the potential to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. The preferred age for HPV vaccination is 12-13 years for optimal benefit. The legal framework in England allows adolescents to be vaccinated without parental consent if they are assessed as competent. A 'South West Template Pathway on Self Consent for School Aged Immunisations' was developed to improve uptake of immunisations in south-west England.
Study Aim:
To examine how acceptable the new procedures are to the young women, parents and carers, school staff and immunisation nurses involved.
Methods:
The research was undertaken in two local authorities in south-west England during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 programme years. Semi-structured digitally recorded interviews were undertaken with 53 participants: one health service manager, three immunisation nurses, five staff at alternative education providers, three staff at mainstream schools, 19 young women and 22 parents. All recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was undertaken, assisted by NVivo software.
Results:
Most participants were not fully aware of the legal framework that enables a young person to self-consent to vaccination. There was a strong presumption that parents should make decisions affecting the health of their children. The preferred age at which the HPV vaccination is administered (12-13 years) contributed to reluctance in endorsing self-consent which was thought to have the potential to break down trust between parents and school staff, and within families. In practice, formal self-consent was rare.
Conclusion:
Unresolved issues in relation to adolescent self-consent include public and professional perceptions of young people's rights and abilities to take responsibility for decisions affecting their health, and concerns about the impact of self-consent on relationships both within families and between professionals and the families they serve.
More Related Videos
13:41Use of Interferon-γ Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay to Characterize Novel T-cell Epitopes of Human Papillomavirus
Published on: March 8, 2012
10:26RNAscope for In situ Detection of Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: March 11, 2014
Related Concept Videos
01:51Vaccinations
01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Axilla
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and put on clean gloves to maintain infection control and prevent cross-contamination.
Step 2: Prepare the patient by explaining the procedure to ensure understanding and cooperation. Ensure privacy, expose the axilla, and inform the patient that minimal movement is crucial for an accurate reading.
Step 3: Adjust the patient’s clothing to expose only the axilla. It minimizes...
01:30Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
01:26Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
01:17Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Oral
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
Gently slide the probe cover until a click is heard. This simple action prevents cross-contamination and ensures the correct placement of the probe cover.
Step 4:
Instruct the patient to open their mouth and place...