Megan Masters, MSN Candidate DePaul University School of Nursing Exploring Reasons for Opting Out of HPV Vaccination Among Patients and Health Care Providers Megan Masters, MSN Candidate DePaul University School of Nursing Findings Method Patients lack of education regarding the HPV vaccine was the most common factor affecting their decision not to receive the vaccination. The extent of this deficiency of education ranged from patients not aware of an HPV vaccine, to providers’ not effectively discussing the vaccine with patients. The role of the healthcare provider was also determined to play a significant factor in compliance with HPV vaccination. Barriers focused on providers either not recommending HPV vaccination, or providing inconsistent or ineffective recommendations. An integrative literature review was conducted to identify the current factors influencing patients/guardians’ refusal of the HPV vaccination, and what role the healthcare provider plays in this decision. The conceptual framework used was The Vaccine Perceptions, Accountability, and Adherence Model Background Research Questions Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that can infect both males and females, potentially causing genital warts, vaginal, cervical, anal, and vulvar cancers. According to CDC guidelines, the HPV vaccine can be given to boys and girls age 9 to 26 (CDC, 2017). Although cases of HPV have dropped as the number of HPV vaccinations rise, vaccine rates are still far below the Health People 2020 target of 80% coverage. With current rates of 49.5% coverage in females, and 37.5% in males through 2017, it is evident that current routes of vaccine education are not adequate (CDC, 2017). What factors influence patients’/guardians’ to refuse the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination? What role does the healthcare provider play in influencing patients/family members decision to receive the vaccination? Purpose Implications The purpose of this literature review was to identify the factors why parents/guardians would choose not to vaccinate their children against HPV and the roles of health care providers in informing parents about the HPV vaccination. This information then allows other medical professionals to target certain stigma’s regarding this vaccine in order to improve overall vaccination numbers. Disease prevention Nurses are advocates for their patients, and in trying to provide the best care for them, nurses should provide information on these types of vaccines that could protect patients from diseases. Provide patient education While each patient may require different types of education, it is the nurses’ duty to provide accurate and informative information in ways that patients will be able to understand. Figure 1. The Vaccine Perceptions, Accountability and Adherence Model.