(238) HPV Vaccine Trends and Attitudes Since the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for cervical, oropharyngeal, vaginal, penile, and anal cancers. Vaccine hesitancy has historically played a role in HPV vaccine coverage in the United States and has surfaced at the forefront of public discourse since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to determine how HPV vaccination attitudes and trends among physicians and patients have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Primary care physicians and patients (aged 9-45) participated in a voluntary survey investigating trends and opinions toward HPV vaccination since the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients were provided surveys in waiting rooms of primary care clinics. In patients under 18 years of age, the survey was completed by the patient’s parent or guardian. The study was conducted in June-July 2022.

Results: A majority of patients (87.7%) were aware of the HPV vaccine but only a third had received all three doses of the vaccine. Twenty-two percent of providers agreed that there has been an increase in misinformation about the HPV vaccine since the pandemic and 7.4% reported a decrease in patients’ willingness to discuss and receive the vaccine. Most patients did not notice a change in opinion toward the vaccine since the pandemic, but 9.6% of patients felt more willing to discuss and 21.9% more willing to receive the vaccine. After recommendation by a health care professional and safety concerns, the news was the third most determining factor in patients' willingness or unwillingness to receive the HPV vaccine.

Conclusions: Recent opinions on receiving the HPV vaccine may be associated with the polarizing climate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how trends in vaccine hesitancy have changed since the pandemic will allow further and more targeted efforts to increase HPV vaccine uptake.