Australia has implemented a nation-wide program providing HPV vaccination to boys at school. To date, there are no published studies that fully explore and examine knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccine post-implementation of the national school-based HPV vaccination program in adolescent boys.
Methods: A sample of schools across metropolitan Sydney was selected to reflect a range of demographics. Semi-structured focus groups and one-on-one interviews were undertaken with boys and their parents respectively, until saturation of data in all emergent themes was reached.
Results: Themes include: low knowledge and understanding about HPV, HPV related diseases, and their prevention through vaccination; adolescent and parental concerns and anxieties related to the HPV vaccination.
Conclusion: Interventions looking at adolescent boys need to be created to address any gaps that may exist between their understanding of the vaccination and their decision to get the vaccination. Explanations and implications for the low levels of knowledge will be explored, as will implications for school-based educational interventions.