HPV vaccine uptake remains low in China, especially among girls. Recently, China has initiated a pilot program on HPV immunization for girls 9-14. From November to December 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted among parents of girls 9-14 in China through a web-based anonymous online questionnaire survey. Descriptive epidemiological analysis was used to analyze parental acceptability. Hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modeling were to determine associated factors. A total of 5623 participants were included in the analysis. 21.2% girls had received HPV vaccine, and 94.3% parents intended to receive vaccination for their daughters, the Kappa values between them was -0.016. 31.9% of vaccinated mothers had received HPV vaccine for their daughters, vaccination history had a positive impact on behavior (β = 0.048). Attitude (β = 0.186), subjective norms (β = 0.148) and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.648) had a positive impact on intention. Vaccination intention mediated the relationships between attitude (β = 0.044), subjective norms (β = 0.035), and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.154) with behavior. There is a gap between vaccination intention and behavior in parents of girls 9-14. Perceived behavior control had a strong association on HPV vaccination behavior.
Keywords: Human papillomavirus vaccine; behavior; intention; parents of female adolescents aged 9–14; theory of planned behavior (TPB).