Understanding adolescents’ intentions to have the HPV vaccine

From September 2008, older adolescent girls in the UK are eligible to have the HPV vaccine as part of the HPV vaccination ‘catch-up’ programme. Six months before they were due to be offered the vaccine 16–18 year old girls (N = 617) from eight further education/sixth-form colleges reported their intentions to have the HPV vaccine and reasons for this decision. Most intended to have the vaccine (around 70%). Some intentions were influenced by perceptions of risk. Many participants wanted more information and a small minority were scared of needles. Some ‘non-intenders’ were opposed to vaccinations altogether. The HPV vaccine is likely to be popular but non-intenders’ views may be difficult to change.