Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Knowledge and Attitudes, Preventative Health Behaviors, and Medical Mistrust Among a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Sample of College Women

• Published in: Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities 2015-03, Vol.2 (1), p.77-85
• Main Authors: Kolar, Stephanie K., Wheldon, Christopher, Hernandez, Natalie D., Young, Lauren, Romero-Daza, Nancy, Daley, Ellen M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; African Americans - psychology; African Americans - statistics & numerical data; Asian Americans - psychology; Asian Americans - statistics & numerical data; Black people; Cervical cancer; Clinical outcomes; College students; Continental Population Groups - psychology; Continental Population Groups - statistics & numerical data; Demographics; Epidemiology; Ethnic groups; Ethnic Groups - psychology; Ethnic Groups - statistics & numerical data; Ethnicity; European Continental Ancestry Group - psychology; European Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health behavior; Health Behavior - ethnology; Health disparities; Health education; Health information; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice - ethnology; Health services; Health status; Health Status Disparities; Hispanic Americans - psychology; Hispanic Americans - statistics & numerical data; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Immunization; Malignancy; Medical personnel; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority groups; Minority Groups - psychology; Minority Groups - statistics & numerical data; Papillomavirus Infections - ethnology; Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control; Papillomavirus Vaccines - administration & dosage; Populations; Preventive medicine; Quality of Life Research; Race; Same race; Self Report; Social Inequality; Social Structure; Southeastern United States; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Talking; Trust; Trust - psychology; Universities; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - ethnology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - prevention & control; Vaccines; Women; Womens health; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2197-3792; 2196-8837
• DOI: 10.1007/s40615-014-0050-2

Introduction Medical mistrust is associated with disparities in a variety of health outcomes. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has the potential to decrease disparities in cervical cancer by preventing infection with the virus that causes these malignancies. No study has examined associations between medical mistrust and preventative health behaviors including the HPV vaccine among young minority women. Methods Self-reported racial/ethnic minority students completed a web-based survey in fall of 2011. Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis were used to test differences in medical mistrust scores by demographics and health behaviors. Results Medical mistrust varied significantly by race with Black women reporting the highest scores. Women with no regular health-care provider (HCP) or who had difficulty talking to their provider had higher mistrust. Higher medical mistrust was associated with a preference to receive HPV vaccine recommendation from a HCP of the same race or ethnicity among unvaccinated women. Black and Asian women who had not received the HPV vaccine had higher mistrust scores than vaccinated women. Perceived difficulty in talking to a HCP was associated with ever having a Pap smear. Discussion Awareness of medical mistrust and the influence on health behaviors may aid in increasing delivery of quality health services for racial and ethnic minority populations. Further research among different populations is needed to elucidate impacts of medical mistrust and provider communication on preventative health behaviors.