Influence of parental knowledge and attitudes on the application of the human papillomavirus vaccine in students of a peruvian public educational institution

Bernal-Gontaruk M.F.; Vela-Ruiz J.M.; Soto-Tarazona A. · Revista de Obstetricia y Ginecologia de Venezuela (2025) · DOI: 10.51288/00850412

Resumen

Objective: To determine the influence of parents’ knowledge and attitudes on the administration of the human papillomavirus vaccine to their children in a public educational institution. Methods: cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study, with a representative sample of 125 parents of 4th and 5th grade primary school students in a public school in Peru. Sociodemographic data were collected, and structured questionnaires on knowledge and attitudes were administered. The data were analyzed using Poisson regression to calculate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios, along with their respective confidence intervals and p-values. Results: 125 participants were included, of which 41% reported having vaccinated their children against HPV. A high level of knowledge among parents was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of their children being vaccinated in the crude analysis (RPc = 2,24; 95 % CI: 1,17 – 4,32; p = 0,015), although after adjusting for age and sex, this association was not statistically significant (RPa = 1,90; 95 % CI: 0,98 – 3,66; p = 0,055). Positive attitudes towards vaccination showed a significant association with a higher likelihood of vaccination in both the crude analysis (RPc = 2,72; 95 % CI: 1,69 – 4,38; p < 0,001) and in the adjusted analysis (RPa = 2,55; 95 % CI: 1,58 – 4,13; p < 0,001). Conclusions: Positive parental attitudes towards vaccination significantly influence the frequency of human papillomavirus immunization in the studied school population.

Instituciones: Universidad Ricardo Palma