OBJECTIVES : To investigate which factors are associated with parents’ decision to vaccinate their daughters aged 11-18 years old against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

METHODS : The study was conducted with structured interviews. The study sample was random, national, stratified by geographic region and representative of the general population of parents with girls aged 11-18 years old. The study collected data on knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding HPV and HPV vaccine. A binary logistic regression model was constructed to assess which factors are associated with the vaccination of girls against HPV.

RESULTS : The final study sample consisted of 1,000 participants, the vast majority of which was female (99.0%) and mean age 45.56 years old (SD=5.005). Overall, 47.0% of the parents stated that their daughters had been vaccinated against HPV, but further data on doses of vaccination received revealed that only 35.0% of the total sample had completed the vaccination scheme (2 doses for girls <15 years old & 3 doses for girls ≥15 years old). Regarding the regression model, the following variables were found to have a statistically significant association with HPV vaccination: perception on how easily HPV is transmitted (OR=1.105), level of trust in the medical body for prevention information provision (OR=1.205), overall perception on the significance of children/adolescents’ vaccination (OR=0.618), parent age (OR=1.125), internet/social media as the main source of information on HPV (OR=0.886) and treating physician’s suggestion to vaccinate daughter against HPV (OR=7.319). No statistically significant association was found for receiving information on HPV by the treating physician and avocation with religion.

CONCLUSIONS : The results of the study highlight the important role of healthcare professionals in affecting parents’ decision to vaccinate their daughters against HPV, while the internet/social media seem to have a negative effect on vaccination.