Quantifying the Decisional Satisfaction to Accept or Reject the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine: A Preference for Cervical Cancer Prevention

OBJECTIVE: Only a portion of the US population is willing to consider HPV vaccination to date. The primary aim of this study is to determine the decisional satisfaction associated with HPV vaccination. STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective survey conducted at an urban college where women 18–26 years old completed a decisional satisfaction survey about their HPV vaccine experience. RESULTS: Regardless of the decision to accept or reject HPV vaccination, the decisional satisfaction was very high (mean 5-item score = 21.2 (SD 3.8)). Women without HPV vaccination were decisionally neutral significantly more often than those already vaccinated; 22% were decisionally neutral for the option to accept HPV vaccination at that visit. Cervical cancer prevention was preferred significantly more often than genital wart prevention in all analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Targeting those who are decisionally neutral about HPV vaccination may result in a higher uptake of HPV vaccination.