Exploring Trusted Sources of HPV Vaccine Information Among Mexican American Parents in El Paso, Texas

Alyssa A. Martinez, Michelle Gil, Surendranath S. Shastri and Gabriel A. Frietze ()
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Alyssa A. Martinez: College of Health Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Michelle Gil: College of Health Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Surendranath S. Shastri: Department of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Gabriel A. Frietze: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Hispanic populations are disproportionately impacted by HPV-associated cancers. An HPV vaccine is available that protects against 90% of HPV-associated cancers. Understanding the factors associated with HPV vaccine uptake, including identifying whom individuals trust to recommend the HPV vaccine, is an important step toward developing public health interventions for promoting the HPV vaccine among Hispanic people. The purpose of this pilot study was to use a qualitative approach to identify trustworthy messengers to disseminate HPV vaccine information among Mexican American (MA) parents of children of 11–17 years of age. Three 90 min pilot focus groups with three to five participants in each group were conducted. The inclusion criteria included being 18 years of age or older, residing in El Paso, TX, identifying as MA, speaking English, and being a parent of a child between the ages of 11 and 17. Focus groups were conducted with 15 predominately female participants ( M age = 38.46, SD = 5.73; Female = 93.3%). A reoccurring theme throughout all three focus groups was that pediatricians, registered nurses, and pharmacists were identified as the most trusted sources of information. Findings from this study have implications for designing public health interventions that leverage pediatricians, registered nurses, and pharmacists to promote the HPV vaccine among parents.

Keywords: human papillomavirus; HPV vaccine; Hispanic; trusted messengers; trusted sources of information (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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