‘I didn’t think men were affected’: Scottish and Spanish men’s constructions of risks, responsibilities and knowledge in relation to the HPV vaccine.

Carnegie, Elaine; Whittaker, Anne; Gray Brunton, Carol; Gullone, Angela; Pow, Janette; Petrova, Dafina; Garcia-Retamero, Rocio

Abstract

European vaccine policy predominantly targets preadolescent girls prior to sexual debut in HPV vaccine campaigns. Boys and young men are currently excluded in such single-gendered vaccine policies. The aim of the current cross-cultural study was to explore young men’s (aged18-26 years) constructions of the HPV vaccine in Scotland and Spain where single-gendered vaccine policies are adopted. Qualitative focus group methodology was employed to explore young men’s constructions of the HPV vaccine using participatory methods. Three focus groups were conducted in Spain and five in Scotland with a total of 36 young men. Findings indicated a central discourse around young men’s construction of the HPV vaccine as largely a problem for women. We discuss how men negotiated their own risks and responsibilities in response to the HPV vaccine and some of the social and psychological implications for single-gendered vaccine policies.

Citation

Carnegie, E., Whittaker, A., Gray Brunton, C., Gullone, A., Pow, J., Petrova, D., & Garcia-Retamero, R. (2015, July). ‘I didn’t think men were affected’: Scottish and Spanish men’s constructions of risks, responsibilities and knowledge in relation to the HPV vaccine. Paper presented at 9th Biennial International Society of Critical Health Psychology Conference

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 9th Biennial International Society of Critical Health Psychology Conference
• Start Date: Jul 12, 2015
• End Date: Jul 15, 2015
• Deposit Date: Jun 12, 2017
• Keywords: HPV vaccine; young men; cross cultural; qualitative research; discursive
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/846464