Assessing Attitudes and Beliefs Toward HPV Vaccination among Ghanaian Parents with Unvaccinated Adolescents: Application of Multi-Theory Model of Behavior Change

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to assess the attitudes and beliefs towards HPV vaccination among Ghanaian parents with unvaccinated adolescents using the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of behavior change. Additionally, we used MTM constructs to predict the likelihood of parents allowing their adolescents to initiate and complete the recommended HPV vaccine series. METHODS: A 44-item validated survey was administered among parents with unvaccinated adolescents living in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. HPV vaccine initiation predictors were perceived beliefs and MTM constructs: participatory dialogue, behavioral confidence, and change in the physical environment. HPV vaccine completion predictors were emotional transformation, social environment, and practice for change. Results: Multiple linear regression analyses showed that perceived beliefs (95% CI: 0.03 – 0.14), change in the physical environment (95% CI: 0.06 – 0.15), and behavioral confidence (95% CI: 0.00 – 0.07), were strongly associated with parents’ likelihood of allowing their adolescents to initiate the HPV vaccine series (p<0.001). Together, perceived beliefs, behavioral confidence, and change in the physical environment accounted for 13.6% of the variance (R(2) = 0.136). The emotional transformation (95% CI: 0.04 – 0.10), and social environment (95% CI: 0.25 – 0.35), predictors were both strongly associated with parents’ likelihood of allowing their adolescent to complete the vaccine series (p<0.001). Together, emotional transformation and social environment accounted for 45.8% of the variance (R(2) = .458). A sample of 380 parents with unvaccinated adolescents, between the ages of 35 – 60 years, participated in this study. Many of the participants were unaware of HPV (98.7%) and its related vaccinations (96.8%). CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore the need for comprehensive multi-level interventions to create HPV vaccination awareness among Ghanaian parents with unvaccinated adolescents.