Vaccine Attitudes Among Parents: Comparing HPV and COVID-19 Vaccines Perceptions in Healthcare Workers' and the General Population in Japan

PURPOSE This study explores attitudes towards HPV and COVID-19 vaccinations among parents of healthcare workers and the broader Japanese population, emphasizing parental decisions about vaccinating daughters. It contrasts these attitudes with those of healthcare workers, providing insights into vaccine acceptance and hesitancy. METHODS Data from the 2022 Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS) were used for a cross-sectional analysis. Subjects included parents of healthcare workers and the general population with daughters born between 1997 and 2010. The survey assessed willingness to vaccinate against HPV and COVID-19 under various conditions, like doctor advice and media reports. Responses were captured on a Likert scale and aggregated into a composite vaccination propensity score. This score was compared between parents of healthcare workers and other respondents using an independent samples t-test. RESULTS The analysis included 965 participants, with 70 medical workers and 895 non-medical workers. No significant difference was observed in attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine between medical and non-medical workers (p-value = 0.0655). In contrast, a significant difference was observed in attitudes towards the HPV vaccine (t = 2.7017, df = 80.296, p-value = 0.008413). Medical workers were more willing to vaccinate their daughters against HPV (mean score = 2.7) compared to their counterparts in other occupations (mean score = 1.3). CONCLUSION The study reveals a distinct divergence in vaccine acceptance in Japan: while COVID-19 vaccination attitudes are uniform across different groups, parents of healthcare workers demonstrate a higher acceptance of HPV vaccination than the general public. This indicates that vaccine perceptions are significantly influenced by specific disease characteristics and accessible information, rather than a uniform vaccination viewpoint. The findings emphasize the need for targeted, disease-specific public health campaigns, particularly for HPV vaccines. Adapting successful strategies from COVID-19 vaccination drives, such as clear communication of benefits, countering hesitancy with trusted medical advice, and widespread public campaigns, could improve HPV vaccine acceptance. In this context, the influential role of healthcare workers and their families in advocating for vaccines becomes vital for enhancing public perception and increasing uptake of the HPV vaccine.