Cultural reflections on the Scottish HPV vaccination programme

Carnegie, E; Whittaker, A; Gray Brunton, C; Hanif, N; Harding, S; Hilton, S; Hogg, R; Kennedy, C; Pollock, K; Pow, J

Abstract

Background
The Scottish HPV vaccination programme serves young women aged 11 to 18 years and reports consistently high uptake rates, yet these figures may conceal levels of understanding and antecedents to decision-making. Evidence from other European countries indicates that ethnicity may influence decision-making regarding vaccination. The aim of the study was to identify understandings and explanations for HPV-related health behaviours within differing cultural contexts by examining accounts of young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.
Methods
A critical qualitative exploratory study utilising Foucauldian discursive analysis was conducted. Seven focus groups and four paired interviews were conducted with 40 young people aged 16-26, from BAME communities: South Asian/Black African/Arab, Muslim/Sikh/Christian. Stimulus material was utilised to explore understandings of HPV, experiences of vaccine programme, views on universal vaccination.
Results
Contrasting attitudes and perceptions across ethnicity and gender were observed: openness of Black African participants to information and partnership working; barriers to intergenerational dialogue expressed by Asian men; intracultural and intercultural opportunities for information-sharing proposed by Asian women. Participants identified solutions for sensitising formative public health interventions - how they are to be delivered and in which contexts including a flexible approach to offering information and the vaccine.
Conclusions
Public health strategies should consider including: a staged and tailored approach to information-giving throughout school and beyond; extending the age of vaccination and including boys being offered the vaccine at a culturally acceptable stage and age; developing neutral and destigmatised messages in partnership with communities/elders; employing multi-media information campaigns for young men and women.

Citation

Carnegie, E., Whittaker, A., Gray Brunton, C., Hanif, N., Harding, S., Hilton, S., Hogg, R., Kennedy, C., Pollock, K., & Pow, J. (2016, November). Cultural reflections on the Scottish HPV vaccination programme. Presented at 9th European Public Health Conference All for Health, Vienna, Austria

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (published)
• Conference Name: 9th European Public Health Conference All for Health
• Start Date: Nov 9, 2016
• End Date: Nov 12, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Nov 2, 2016
• Publication Date: Nov 18, 2016
• Deposit Date: Nov 21, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 21, 2016
• Journal: European Journal of Public Health
• Print ISSN: 1101-1262
• Electronic ISSN: 1464-360X
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 1 supp 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckw169.049
• Keywords: HPV vaccinne, teenage health behaviours,
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/428600
• Contract Date: Nov 21, 2016