Date of Conferral

7-19-2024

Date of Award

July 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Loretta Shields

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) represents the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Despite readily available safe and effective vaccines and established knowledge of influencing factors, HPV vaccination rates in the United States remain suboptimal, particularly among adolescent males. This quantitative study addressed this gap by investigating the association between geographic location, race, and socioeconomic status with HPV vaccination uptake in adolescent males. A secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2022 National Immunization Survey (NIS)—Teen, comprised of 22,667 adolescent males. The fundamental cause theory served as the theoretical framework, guiding the exploration of why a safe and effective HPV vaccine, with over two decades of established evidence, may not be overcoming existing health disparities within the population. Binomial logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between geographic location, race, and socioeconomic status on adolescent male HPV vaccination in the United States. The findings indicated statistically significant relationships between race, geographic location, provider location type, mother’s education level, and poverty status on HPV vaccine uptake in adolescent males. Specifically, lower vaccination uptake was observed among White adolescent males, those residing in the southern region, individuals served in clinics, those with mothers having less than a high school diploma, and those living above the poverty level. By identifying these disparities, the research informs public health interventions aimed at improving vaccine uptake and reducing HPV-related health burdens in this population.

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