A Qualitative Study of Social Processes, HPV Vaccine Attitudes, and Vaccination Behavior Among Hesitant Adopter Parents

Despite the availability of a highly effective human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, uptake remains below Healthy People 2030 targets, particularly in rural areas where HPV-related cancers are more prevalent. This study aimed to explore how social processes influence parents’ HPV vaccination decisions, focusing on vaccine-hesitant parents who vaccinated their child(ren) against HPV despite their hesitancy, eg, “hesitant adopters.” We conducted a qualitative exploratory analysis of in-depth interviews with hesitant adopter parents (n = 8) to explore how social interactions with trusted interlocutors influenced their decision-making. Hesitant adopter parents identified relevant professional expertise, direct experience with the HPV vaccine, and social proximity to interlocutors as influential factors. We argue that rather than a single moment or decision, vaccination decision-making is a dynamic, ongoing process affected by social processes. This study adds nuance to our understanding of how prior vaccination behavior functions in future vaccine acceptance.