Table 2.

Potential Barriers to Males From Appalachia Receiving HPV Vaccine.

	Health care providers (n = 30)	Community leaders (n = 26)	Parents (n = 28)	Mena (n = 18)
HPV vaccine safety and side effects
May cause short-term side effects	+	+	+	+
May cause long-term side effects	+	+	+	−
May lead to sexual promiscuity	+/−	+/−	+/−
Access to care and vaccination logistics
Access to quality health care	+	+	+
Time and transportation difficulties	+		+
Lack of resources, cost, and insurance coverage	+	+	+	+
Gender and cultural issues
HPV vaccine viewed as a female vaccine	+	+	+	+
HPV vaccination may be viewed as emasculating or embarrassing by males	+	+	+	+
Sex and STIs are not topics for discussion	+	+	+	+/−

Note. (+) = Mentioned as a potential barrier; (−) = Mentioned as not being a potential barrier; (+/−) = Mixed feedback regarding potential barrier; Blank = not mentioned. HPV = human papillomavirus; STI = sexually transmitted infection.

^aIncluded young adult men ages 18 to 26 years.