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Despite proven vaccine efficacy and messaging about the risks of HPV infection, immunization coverage rates remain low for girls and even lower for boys. To better understand how the nature of parent-provider communication affects HPV vaccine uptake, researchers conducted a qualitative analysis of 37 audio-recorded visits with vaccine-hesitant parents at six pediatric clinics in Dallas, Texas.
Investigators characterized initial parental hesitancy as questioning (19%), assertive (57%), or expressing concern (22%). They coded physician response to parental questions as acquiescence (e.g., “Okay. Maybe you'll change your mind in the future.”) in 16%, persistence (e.g., “So, when they get them [the shots] when they are younger, their immune sys…