Underutilization of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: Implications for Health Education and Awareness
Keywords:
Awareness, Barriers, Education, HPV, VaccinationAbstract
The underutilization of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in San Pablo City poses a significant public health concern. This study aimed to examine the factors contributing to the underutilization of the HPV vaccine among parents residing in Barangay Del Remedio, San Francisco, and San Jose in San Pablo City, Laguna, and to provide a basis for developing appropriate health education and awareness strategies. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was utilized, involving 368 parents of children aged 9 to 18 years. Data were gathered through a validated questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that most respondents were aged 35–44 years, married, junior high school graduates, and self-employed, with children aged 9-10 years. Results indicated low HPV vaccination rates among the respondents. The primary barriers to vaccination included limited awareness and knowledge about the HPV vaccine, high vaccination costs, and fear of possible side effects. The study was limited to respondents from only three barangays in San Pablo City, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Respondents identified community-based and school-based health education programs as the most preferred methods for receiving information about HPV vaccination. Statistical analysis further showed that age, marital status, and educational attainment did not significantly influence respondents’ awareness of or knowledge about the HPV vaccine. However, occupation and vaccination status were associated with higher levels of awareness, while only vaccination status significantly influenced knowledge levels. Overall, the findings highlight the need to strengthen targeted health education initiatives to improve awareness, address misconceptions, and promote HPV vaccination uptake within the community.
Downloads
References
Alfayi, M.S. (2024). Cervical cancer and Human Papillomavirus awareness among women in Saudi Arabia. Medicina, 57(12), 1373. https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/12/1373
Alrajeh, M.F., & Alshammari, S.A. (2020). Awareness of Human Papillomavirus and its vaccine among patients attending primary care clinics at King Saud University Medical City. Journal of Nature and Science of Medicine, 3(3), 189–195. https://tinyurl.com/ysru62py
American Medical Association. (2022). Ethical guidance on health care decisions involving minors. https://tinyurl.com/r2m3mmne
Betsch, C., Böhm, R., & Chapman, G. (2016). Using behavioral insights to increase vaccination policy effectiveness. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732215600716
Bhandari, P. (2020). What is quantitative research? Definition, uses & methods. Scribbr. https://tinyurl.com/3tkkndrv
Bisht, R. (2024). What is purposive sampling? Methods, techniques, and examples. Researcher.Life. https://tinyurl.com/mw32ujhv
Brewer, N., Chapman, G., Rothman, A., Leask, J., & Kempe, A. (2017). Increasing vaccination: Putting psychological science into action. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 18(3), 149–207. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618760521
Chen, X., Wang, L., Huang, Y., Zhang, L., et al. (2024). Risk perception and trust in the relationship between knowledge and HPV vaccine hesitancy among female university students in China: A cross‑sectional study. BMC Public Health, 24, 667. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18166-w
Chido-Amajuoyi, O., Osaghae, I., Onyeaka, H., & Shete, S. (2024). Barriers to the assessment and recommendation of HPV vaccination among healthcare providers in Texas. Vaccine: X, 18, 100471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvacx.2024.100471
Dean, A., Eldawy, N., Mendonca, J., Lobaina, D., Zerrouki, Y., Okwaraji, G., Jhumkhawala, V., Burgoa, S., Ejezie, C.L., Kitsantas, P., Mejia, M., & Sacca, L. (2025). HPV‑related knowledge and impact of patient‑provider communication on HPV‑associated cervical cancer awareness and Pap smear completion in US women aged 21–65 years. Cancers, 17(7), 1188. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17071188
Department of Health. (2025). Procurement of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine under DC No. 2025‑008. Department of Health. https://tinyurl.com/47tz338x
Elenwo, C., Batioja, K., Davis, T., Greiner, B.H., Markey, C., & Hartwell, M. (2023). Associations of maternal age, education, and marital status with HPV vaccine uptake and hesitancy among United States youth: A cross-sectional analysis of the 2020 National Immunization Survey. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 36(3), 273–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2023.01.213
Hakimi, S., Lami, F., Allahqoli, L., & Alkatout, I. (2023). Barriers to the HPV vaccination program in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Journal of the Turkish German Gynecological Association, 24(1), 48–56. https://doi.org/10.4274/jtgga.galenos.2022.2022-6-6
Hargrave, M. (2024). Standard deviation formula and uses vs. variance. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/standarddeviation.asp
Heyde, S., Osmani, V., Schauberger, G., Cooney, C., & Klug, S. (2024). Global parental acceptance, attitudes, and knowledge regarding human papillomavirus vaccinations for their children: A systematic literature review and meta‑analysis. BMC Women’s Health, 24, 537. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03377-5
Huang, X., Ruan, G., & Sun, P. (2025). Assessment of knowledge gaps in cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination among Chinese women: A comprehensive population-based study. Cancer Management and Research, 17, 267–279. https://doi.org/10.2147/CMAR.S500946
Iliadou, M., Sahini, K., Sakellari, E., Daglas, M., Orovou, E., Iatrakis, G., & Antoniou, E. (2021). What do young people think about HPV and HPV vaccination? The role of health education interventions and health professionals. Materia Socio Medica, 33(3), 219–224. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2021.33.219-224
Illah, O., & Olaitan, A. (2023). Updates on HPV vaccination. Diagnostics, 13(2), 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13020243
INQUIRER.net BrandRoom. (2024). Medical groups back reinstating school HPV immunization to combat cervical cancer in PH. INQUIRER.Net. https://tinyurl.com/32ddmzp2
Karafillakis, E., Simas, C., Jarrett, C., Verger, P., Peretti-Watel, P., Dib, F., & Larson, H. (2019). HPV vaccination in a context of public mistrust and uncertainty: A systematic literature review of determinants of HPV vaccine hesitancy in Europe. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 15(7–8), 1615–1627. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2018.1564436
Khalil, G., Fisher, C., Chi, X., Hansen, M., Sanchez, G., Gurka, M., & Staras, S. (2025). The role of personal social networks in parental decision‑making for HPV vaccination: Examining support and norms among Florida parents. Vaccines, 13(7), 667. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13070667
Kim, J., Dove, M., & Dang, J. (2022). Sociodemographic factors associated with HPV awareness and cervical cancer screening behaviors among caregivers in the U.S. BMC Women’s Health, 22, 335. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01918-4
Krishna, S., & Polonijo, A. (2024). Perceived barriers and facilitators to HPV vaccination among mid-adults. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 20(1), 2422681. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2024.2422681
Laerd Statistics. (n.d.). Mann-Whitney U test using SPSS statistics. https://tinyurl.com/2pa6wmhb
Lee, A., Skyles, T., Jensen, J., Rodriguez, M.A., Nguyen, A.L., & Thompson, E.R. (2024). Effects of religion, politics, and distance to providers on HPV vaccine attitudes. PLOS One, 19(10), e0312549. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312549
Li, M., Zhang, F., Shi, Y., Shi, K., Li, X., & Bai, H. (2024). Awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine among college students in China. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1451320. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1451320
Lintao, R., Cando, L.F., Perias, G.A., Tantengco, O.A., Tabios, I.K., Velayo, C., & de Paz-Silava, S.L. (2022). Current status of human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer in the Philippines. Frontiers in Medicine, 9, 929062. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.929062
Llave, C., Uy, M.E., Lam, H., Aldaba, J., Yacapin, C., Miranda, M., Valverde, H., Silva, W., Nawaz, S., Slavkovsky, R., Mooney, J., & Vodicka, E. (2022). The cost-effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccination in the Philippines. Vaccine, 40(30), 4202–4209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.05.025
Matsumura, T., Nakayama, T., Okamoto, S., & Saito, J. (2022). Association between a single-mother family and childhood undervaccination in Japan: A birth cohort study. BMC Public Health, 22, 12511. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12511-7
McDonald, J.H. (2014). Handbook of biological statistics (3rd ed.). Sparky House Publishing.
Muthukrishnan, M., Loux, T., Shacham, E., Tiro, J., & Arnold, L. (2022). Barriers to HPV vaccination among young adults. Preventive Medicine Reports, 29, 101942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101942
Nabirye, J., Okwi, L.A., Nuwematsiko, R., Kiwanuka, G., Muneza, F., Kamya, C., & Babirye, J. (2020). Health system factors influencing uptake of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine among adolescent girls 9-15 years in Mbale District, Uganda. BMC Public Health, 20, 171. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8302-z
Nicolet, J., Sutherland, K., De La O, M., & Watson, M. (2022). Factors influencing the decision to vaccinate against HPV amongst a population of female health students. Vaccines, 10(5), 680. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10050680
NowServing. (2024). HPV vaccine cost: Pricing and insurance options. https://nowserving.ph/blog/hpv-vaccine-cost/
Nutbeam, D. (2020). Health literacy as a public health goal: A systematic review of the literature. Health Promotion International, 35(6), 1231–1243. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daaa045
Ozdemir, C.Y., Marangoz, B., Cicekli, N., Savaş, M., Ozdemir, N., Arıöz, D.A., & Arioz, D.T. (2025). HPV vaccine awareness and vaccination status among women of reproductive age in Türkiye: A cross-sectional study. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 21(1), 2586826. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2025.2586826
PhilHealth. (2023). Cervical cancer coverage: A top priority of PhilHealth in Universal Health Care. Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. https://tinyurl.com/2jkm88hv
Rančić, N., Golubović, M., Ilić, M., Ignjatović, A., Živadinović, R., Đenić, S., Momčilović, S., Kocić, B., Milošević, Z., & Otašević, S. (2020). Knowledge about cervical cancer and awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine among female students from Serbia. Medicina, 56(8), 406. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56080406
Rodrigues, E., Mendes, E., & Nucci, L. (2023). Parental justifications for not vaccinating children or adolescents against human papillomavirus (HPV). Vaccines, 11(3), 506. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030506
Rositch, A., Liu, T., Chao, C., Moran, M., & Beavis, A. (2022). Levels of parental human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy and their reasons for not intending to vaccinate: Insights from the 2019 National Immunization Survey-Teen. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 71(1), 39–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.01.223
Sackey, M.E., Markey, K., & Grealish, A. (2022). Healthcare professional’s promotional strategies in improving human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake in adolescents: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.03.054
Sendekie, A.K., Abate, B.B., Adamu, B.A., Tefera, A.M., Mekonnen, K.T., Ashagrie, M.A., Tadesse, Y.B., Dagnaw, A.D., Melaku, M.S., & Bizuneh, G.K. (2025). Human papillomavirus vaccination hesitancy among young girls in Ethiopia: Factors and barriers to uptake. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1507832. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1507832
Shwetha, B.R. (2023). Uses of percentage: Definition, formulas, methods. EMBIBE. https://www.embibe.com/exams/use-of-percentage/
Singh, S. (2024). Descriptive research design: Types, methods, and examples. Researcher.Life. https://tinyurl.com/5dev5yxf
Su, Z. (2022). Global HPV vaccination post-pandemic. In N. Rezaei (Ed.), Handbook of Cancer and Immunology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80962-1_330-1
Szymonowicz, K.A., & Chen, J. (2020). Biological and clinical aspects of HPV-related cancers. Cancer Biology & Medicine, 17(4), 864–878. https://doi.org/10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2020.0370
Thanasas, I., Lavranos, G., Gkogkou, P., & Paraskevis, D. (2022). The effect of health education on adolescents’ awareness of HPV infections and attitudes towards HPV vaccination in Greece. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 503. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010503
The Health Foundation. (2022). How employment status affects our health. https://tinyurl.com/yrtsjcaz
Thompson, E., Wheldon, C., Rosen, B., Maness, S., Kasting, M., & Massey, P. (2020). Awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccination among adults ages 27–45 years. Vaccine, 38(15), 3143–3148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.01.053
Turney, S. (2022). Frequency distributions. Scribbr. https://tinyurl.com/4p6zsy5k
Wahab, F., Punzalan, J.K., & Punzalan, M. (2025). Protecting our children: A cross-sectional study on the decision-making of parents on human papillomavirus vaccination for adolescent females in Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. Asian Journal of Public Health Practice, 2, 33–42. https://doi.org/10.4103/AJPHP.AJPHP_12_25
Wang, W. (2025). The impact of vaccine access difficulties on HPV vaccine intention and uptake among female university students in China. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-024-02370-6
Wasserstein, R., Schirm, A., & Lazar, N. (2019). Moving to a world beyond “p < 0.05.” The American Statistician, 73(suppl 1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/00031305.2019.1583913
Wijayanti, K.E., Schütze, H., MacPhail, C., & Braunack-Mayer, A. (2021). Parents’ knowledge, beliefs, acceptance, and uptake of the HPV vaccine in members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. Vaccine, 39(17), 2335–2343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.03.049
Wilson, L., Quan, A., Bota, A.B., Chernoff, A., Ahmed, S., & Kim, J. (2021). Newcomer knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. BMC Family Practice, 22, 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-020-01360-1
World Health Organization. (2022). WHO updates recommendations on HPV vaccination schedule. World Health Organization. https://tinyurl.com/5c3f3ebh
World Health Organization. (2023). Human papillomavirus vaccines: WHO position paper. https://tinyurl.com/4z8vuzz8
World Health Organization. (2024). Cervical cancer. https://tinyurl.com/2y4ewr9b
Yahia, A., Cole, E., Rayford, A., & Fava, J. (2024). A community‑based, interdisciplinary approach to improving HPV vaccine uptake at a large urban public university. Journal of American College Health, 72(2), 500–508. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2044823
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
