HPV vaccination intention among guardians of male junior high school students in Chongqing, China.

Background: The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is essential for preventing sexually transmitted infections and HPV-related cancers in both men and women. Vaccinating boys directly protects them and contributes to herd immunity. It also indirectly protects their future partners. As parents' intentions strongly influence adolescents' HPV vaccination, this study aimed to investigate the factors that influence their vaccination intentions for sons. The results of this study will provide a theoretical basis and practical recommendations for improving parental acceptance of HPV vaccination. Methods: A multi-stage, non-random, cross-sectional survey was conducted, targeting guardians of male junior high school students across various districts and counties in Chongqing. Results: A total of 3,481 valid responses were collected. Among the guardians, nearly 40% had never heard of HPV or the HPV vaccine. Overall, 71.3% of guardians expressed willingness to vaccinate their sons against HPV, while 28.7% were unwilling. Personal characteristics of the guardians, such as age and number of children, were associated with vaccination intention. Higher levels of knowledge about HPV were positively correlated with willingness to vaccinate, while vaccine hesitancy was associated with reduced acceptance. Conclusion: This study suggests that guardians in Chongqing have a high willingness to vaccinate their sons against HPV, and vaccine knowledge is one of the influencing factors. However, concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy remain significant barriers to vaccine acceptance. Awareness of the HPV vaccine should be improved, especially in groups with limited knowledge, through targeted educational campaigns and advice from healthcare professionals to address vaccine hesitancy.