Impact of Framing on Intentions to Vaccinate Daughters against HPV: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

• Published in: Annals of behavioral medicine 2011-10, Vol.42 (2), p.221-226
• Main Authors: Lechuga, Julia, Swain, Geoffrey R., Weinhardt, Lance S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; African Americans - psychology; Cervical cancer; Child; Consumer Health Information - methods; Cross cultural studies; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Daughters; European Continental Ancestry Group - psychology; Family Medicine; Female; General Practice; Health Psychology; Hispanic Americans - psychology; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Immunization; Intention; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Motivation; Nuclear Family; Original Article; Vaccination; Vaccination - psychology; Vaccines
• ISSN: 0883-6612; 1532-4796
• DOI: 10.1007/s12160-011-9273-1

Background Effective promotion of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine across ethnic/racial groups may help curtail disparities in cervical cancer rates. Purpose This study aims to investigate mothers’ intentions to vaccinate daughters against HPV as a function of message framing (gain versus loss) across three cultural groups: Hispanic, non-Hispanic white, and non-Hispanic African-American. Methods One hundred fifty mothers were recruited from city department of health clinics and asked to respond to information about the HPV vaccine for their daughters. In a repeated-measures experiment, two different frames (gain and loss) were used to present the information. Results The results indicated that both frames are equally effective in promoting vaccination intentions in non-Hispanic white mothers. Conversely, a loss frame message was more effective in non-Hispanic African-American and Hispanic mothers. Conclusions Information sharing campaigns, aimed at promoting the HPV vaccine among ethnic minority groups should be modified to not focus exclusively on the benefits of vaccination.