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Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer, and HPV vaccination is highly effective in preventing vaccine-targeted HPV infection.However, low HPV vaccination coverage in Kisumu County, Kenya, at about 10% for the first dose, highlights the critical issue of vaccine hesitancy, particularly in low and middle-income countries.Methods: This study explores the concerns, myths and barriers to HPV vaccine uptake among adolescent girls (aged 10-14) enrolled at human immune-deficiency virus comprehensive care clinics and their parents in Kisumu County.Focused group discussions were conducted with 48 participants.Results: Content analysis revealed limited knowledge about the HPV vaccine and widespread misconceptions regarding its safety and efficacy.Financial constraints, injection fears and negative clinic experiences emerged as additional barriers. Conclusion:The findings emphasise the role of effective communication strategies, including engaging parents through written materials and involving them in decisionmaking, to dispel myths, provide accurate information and encourage HPV vaccination.Collaborative efforts with community stakeholders are crucial to improve vaccine coverage and ultimately reduce the cervical cancer burden.
Ochomo et al. (Mon,) studied this question.