Human papillomavirus vaccine motivators and barriers among community college students: Considerations for development of a successful vaccination program

Background: Previous interventions in colleges to improve human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination have not been highly successful. Although barriers have been assessed in traditional colleges, less is known about vaccination barriers in community colleges. Methods: We approached students aged 18–26 years old enrolled at a community college for an in-person semi-structured qualitative interview on HPV vaccination and health, with questions guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior. Data collection took place between April 2015 and December 2015. Thematic analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. Results: During interviews with 19 students, 4 themes emerged, including: general vaccine attitudes, barriers to HPV vaccination, motivators to HPV vaccination, and social influences. Participants felt that vaccines were beneficial, but were concerned about side effects. They felt that getting the HPV vaccine would be inconvenient, and they did not know enough about it to decide. Most would not trust their friends’ opinions, but would want to know about side effects that their vaccinated friends experienced. Conclusions: Successful interventions at community colleges should include several components to increase convenience as well as utilize interactive methods to promote HPV vaccine awareness.