Prioritization of HPV vaccine preventable diseases among emerging adults – Implications for health education and communication

Emerging adults are at the highest risk for Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV increases the risk of cervical, oropharyngeal, and anogenital cancers and skin lesions, leading to genital warts. However, many are unaware of the full spectrum of diseases associated with HPV. This study aimed to identify which HPV vaccine-preventable diseases are the highest priority among emerging adults and examine demographic factors related to prioritization, to inform education and communication strategies. Participants were recruited to complete a voluntary, one-time, online survey at two no-cost vaccine clinics in September and October 2024. This study is limited to respondents aged 18 to 25 (n = 454; 61.9% female; 54.8% non-Hispanic white). After being presented with a list of 7 HPV vaccine-preventable diseases, participants were asked to rank them in order of importance. Frequency analysis was conducted on the top-ranked outcome. Prioritization of outcomes, grouped by sex specificity (female, male, non-sex-specific) and latency (genital warts, cancers), was examined in relation to socio-demographic characteristics. Cervical cancer (26.87%), genital warts (19.82%), and oropharyngeal cancer (17.8%) were most often the highest priority. More females than males (68% vs. 3.47%) prioritized female-specific cancers, while more males than females (44.5% vs. 13.5%) prioritized non-sex-specific cancers (χ2 = 219.08; p < 0.001). Odds of prioritizing genital warts over cancers were higher among non-Hispanic Asian (aOR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.28-3.76) and non-Hispanic other race (aOR = 2.73; 95% CI = 1.32-5.68). HPV vaccine promotion should continue to emphasize all outcomes or be tailored to address the outcome priorities of each group, including males and racial minorities.