Table 2.

Mothers’ and Daughters’ Perspectives on the Decision-Making Process About HPV Vaccination

Mothers’ Perspective (N)

Primarily mother’s decision (18)

Mother generally makes decisions about vaccination

Daughter doesn’t have a choice

Daughter doesn’t question

Daughter looks to mom and trusts mom to make decisions about vaccination

Mutual decision between mother and daughter (11)

Health-related decision making generally characterized by discussion between mother and daughter

Decision making regarding: HPV vaccination characterized by specific discussion about:

Importance of vaccination

Vaccination to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts

STI prevention

Others’ support of vaccination (clinicians, father, grandmother)

Primarily daughter’s decision (1)

Daughters’ perspective (N)

Primarily mother’s decision (9)

Daughter resisted vaccination; concerned about pain

Daughter not sure what the vaccine was for

Mutual decision between mother and daughter (also nurse, doctor, grandmother) (23)

Decision making often (though not always) characterized by push-back from daughter

Decision making often involved discussions about:

Importance of vaccination to prevent disease in the future

Benefits of vaccination: prevents cervical cancer and genital warts

Barriers to vaccination: concerns about vaccine safety, pain

Influential others’ support of vaccination (mother, grandmother, doctor)

Primarily daughter’s decision (1)

Abbreviations: HPV, human papillomavirus; STI, sexually transmitted infection.