Table 2 Reasons provided by unvaccinated and under vaccinated participants to explain their vaccination status
| Major theme (subthemes) | Examples | n (%) Unvaccinated | n (%) Under vaccinated |
|---|---|---|---|
| n = 202 | n = 57 | ||
| Lack of parental consent (without explanation) | My parents don’t want me to get it | 30 (14.9) | 1 (1.8) |
| Lack of parental consent (with explanation) | Provided below under major themes | 52 (25.7) | 3 (5.3) |
| Safety concerns (concern about side effects or long term effects, the novelty of the vaccine, wanting more research, seeing press reports about the death of a girl from HPV vaccine, prefer to delay vaccination) |
I was scared about the long-term effects as the vaccine hasn't been around for long
My Mum felt it was as if we were being tested on | 51 (25.3) | 2 (3.5) |
| The vaccine isn’t needed (not sexually active, not planning on being sexually active, no history of cervical cancer in the family, don’t need it) |
Because I am not sexually active and will not be until I get married
My Mum didn’t think it was necessary for me to have the vaccine since I won’t be sleeping around | 38 (18.8) | 1 (1.8) |
| Administrative reasons (being absent from school, moving schools, being out of the country, recent migration, not having a consent form, didn’t want the vaccine in school, not offered vaccination doses). |
I wasn’t in school the day the 3rd injections happened
My parents …preferred me to have it at the doctors, not school. | 26 (12.8) | 29 (50.9) |
| Need for more information (was not aware of the vaccine, didn’t understand it, not enough information) |
I didn’t know about it
My Mum wasn’t sure what it was | 8 (4.0) | 6 (10.5) |
| Procedural issues (afraid of or dislike needles, pain) | I’m scared of needles | 22 (10.9) | 3 (5.3) |
| General vaccination beliefs (don’t believe in vaccinations, don’t’ believe in manmade treatments) |
…I wouldn’t want a man-made treatment
Mum didn’t think it was natural to have it | 5 (2.5) | 0 (0) |
| Health reasons (existing health condition, got ill after previous dose, allergic to ingredients, unwell when vaccine offered). |
I have not had it because I suffer from other conditions and therefore was more likely for me to have a negative reaction.
My Mum… thinks I might be allergic to HPV vaccine | 9 (4.5) | 5 (8.8) |
| Other reasons (don’t know/can’t remember, didn’t want it with no explanation, other) | Because I didn’t want to | 22 (10.9) | 11 (19.3) |