Factors Associated with HPV Vaccine Adherence among Latino/a Adolescents in a Rural, Texas-Mexico Border County

Abstract

Objective: Completion of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series among Texas Hispanic adolescents is low compared to national data. We examined the association between HPV vaccine initiation and completion among Hispanic adolescents in a rural, Texas-Mexico border county and specific individual and neighborhood-level characteristics. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of data from a broader cancer prevention program. Setting: Underserved colonias communities in a Texas-Mexico border county. Participants: Hispanic mothers or caregivers (n=712) and adolescents aged 11-17 years (n=1120) linked to publicly available data about their neighborhood. Methods: Logit and multi-level mixed-effects logistic regression of individual- and neighborhood-level data. Main Outcome Measures: HPV vaccine adherence (ie, initiation and completion) as reported in either the Texas Immunization Registry or adolescents’ electronic medical records, measured at the end of the cancer prevention program. Results: Factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion were female gender (P