A Message Framing Intervention for Increasing Parental Acceptance of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination

The goal of this study is to determine the effects of message framing (gain vs. loss) on African American parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine and how such effects are moderated by parents' salient beliefs prior to message exposure. Participants recruited from local communities and online panels will complete a computer-assisted survey. In the survey participants will first answer questions related to their beliefs about HPV and the HPV vaccine (e.g., perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived efficacy, perceived safety, etc.), as well as other background information. Then they will be presented with either a gain-framed or loss-framed human papillomavirus vaccination message. After the message exposure, they will answer questions related to their attitudes toward HPV vaccination, intentions to vaccinate their children, as well as other message response measures. Eligible participants are at least 21 years old, self-identify as African American, and are custodial parents or caretakers of at least one child ages 9-17 who has not initiated the HPV vaccine series.