Promoting Rural-Residing Parents' Receptivity to HPV Vaccination: Targeting Messages and Mobile Clinic Implementation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Vaccinology
• Health Communication

Background:

• Low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates persist in rural US areas, particularly Florida, which faces a high burden of HPV-related cancers.
• Florida's low HPV vaccination rates necessitate targeted interventions for rural populations.
• Evidence-based strategies like reminder messages and mobile clinics can address barriers to HPV vaccination in rural settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify parental attitudes towards message features influencing HPV vaccination receptivity.
• To assess parental acceptability of different reminder message modalities (text, postcard, phone).
• To determine implementation factors for mobile clinics to improve HPV vaccination acceptability.

Main Methods:

• Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 28 rural parents of unvaccinated 9- to 12-year-olds.
• Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data from interviews.
• Parental attitudes towards HPV vaccination messages and mobile clinic use were explored.

Main Results:

• Parents responded positively to message features emphasizing source credibility, specific information, and personalization (e.g., name, birthday wishes).
• Text messages were the most preferred modality for vaccination reminders.
• Key factors for mobile clinic acceptability included convenience, feasibility, trustworthiness, and detailed information provision.

Conclusions:

• Rural parents find reminder messages and mobile clinics acceptable for increasing HPV vaccination.
• Trustworthiness and feasibility are critical for the successful implementation of mobile vaccination clinics.
• Tailoring communication strategies to address rural parents' specific needs and preferences is essential for improving HPV vaccination coverage.