Table 2 Common questions from caregivers

Causes and natural history

Vaccine implementation

• Where do people get HPV from?

• How and where will the vaccine be administered to girls?

• Is HPV hereditary?

• Will it be given to all girls in Kenya?

• Does HPV infect bodily fluids or blood?

• What other countries have implemented the vaccine?

• Does HPV only travel to the cervix (or does it affect other organs)?

• What does HPV do to men?

Vaccine benefits & alternatives

• How will it help us?

HPV epidemiology

• Is there another way of preventing cervical cancer?

• Does HPV mostly affect women?

• If HPV cannot be seen, how do we know that most people have it at some point?

Vaccine safety & side effects

• Has the vaccine been tested?

• Is it being tested on our children?

Modes of transmission

• What are the side effects of this vaccine?

• Is it acquired through sexual intercourse?

• Does the vaccine affect future fertility?

• Are there other (non-sexual) ways you can get it?

• Do men and women transmit HPV to each other?

Vaccine effectiveness

• Will girls be prevented from cervical cancer after they are vaccinated?

Symptoms and effects on the body

• What is the duration of protection?

• What are the signs and symptoms of HPV?

• Will the vaccine work if it’s given to a girl who already has cervical cancer?

• How long does it take for them to appear?

• Will it still help if a girl misses a dose?

• How does one know if they are infected?

• Could HPV turn into HIV?

Age & gender concerns

• Does HPV cause herpes?

• Why is it administered to girls aged 9–12 years, when cancer affects women (older)?

• Can HPV prevent a woman from getting pregnant, or having a healthy pregnancy?

• If most everyone has HPV then why are only children vaccinated and not adults? Why not boys?

• Does it cause other cancers or problems (e.g., prostate cancer in men)?

• Can the vaccine be given to girls aged 9–12 if they haven’t started monthly periods?