HPV vaccination hesitancy in Reunion Island - 29/11/21

Doi : 10.1016/j.jogoh.2021.102277

Tran Phuong Lien ^a,^b,^⁎ , Alexandra Bruneteaux ^a, Glorianne Lazaro ^c, Bertolotti Antoine ^d,^e, Boukerrou Malik ^a,^b,^f
^a Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) La Réunion, Service de Gynécologie et Obstétrique, Saint Pierre, La Réunion, France
^b Centre d'Etudes Périnatales Océan Indien Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sud-Réunion, BP 350, 97448, Saint-Pierre, cedex
^c Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Belmont, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5NG, London, England
^d CHU La Réunion, Service des Maladies Infectieuses - Dermatologie, Saint Pierre, La Réunion, France
^e Antilles Univ., EA 4537, Martinique, France
^f Unité de formation et de recherche santé de la Réunion, Faculté de médecine, 97490 Saint Denis

^⁎Corresponding author: Dr Phuong Lien Tran, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de La Réunion, Service de gynécologie et obstétrique, Avenue François Mitterrand, BP350, 97448 Saint Pierre, La Réunion, France. Tel: +262.2.62.35.91.35 DECT 58723; Fax: +262.2.62.35.91.14.Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de La Réunion

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Highlights

•	In Reunion Island (RUN), only 8.1% of girls are vaccinated against HPV, which is responsible for 10.8 cervical cancer for 100 000 women.
•	Knowledge about HPV infection is insufficient.
•	Lack of information and vaccination mistrust contribute to low HPV vaccination coverage.

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Abstract

Introduction

In Reunion Island (RUN), cervical cancer is the 4^th most common cancer in women and standardized mortality rate is 4.8 for 100 000 women. It is preventable by HPV vaccination, yet only 8.1% of girls aged <16 years old are fully vaccinated.

Objective

To determine factors related to HPV vaccination hesitancy in Reunion Island.

Study Design

Between January and June 2017, general practitioners, midwives and liberal gynaecologists were invited by email to answer an online self-questionnaire. Questionnaires were also distributed to mothers who had daughters aged between 11-19 years old, in 2 middle schools in Southern Reunion. Data was collected using Google Form.

Results

125 health professionals and 85 mothers answered the questionnaire. Knowledge about HPV infection was not sufficient. All people interviewed expressed concerns about HPV vaccination, because of auto-immune reactions, and lack of efficacy. Mothers felt insufficiently encouraged by their general practitioners to vaccinate their children.

Conclusions

In Reunion Island, lack of information and vaccination mistrust from parents as well as from caregivers, are the main factors contributing to low HPV vaccination coverage. Formations intended for caregivers and information campaigns of general population could play a role into raising vaccination coverage; school could enhance teenagers’ awareness.

Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.

Keywords : HPV, Reunion Island, vaccination hesitancy

Abbreviations : GP, HP, HPV, LG, MW, RUN