Understanding facilitators and barriers of HPV vaccination amongst adolescent boys and their parents in high-income countries through the social-ecological model: a scoping review.

Abstract

This study identified barriers to and facilitators of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for adolescent boys and their parents in high-income countries using a social-ecological model (SEM) to inform future health education strategies. A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, Arksey and O'Malley's framework, and Levac's recommendations. Six databases were searched in March and December 2024, with Covidence used for screening. The identified factors were categorized into four levels: intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and policy. A total of 78 studies were included. Amongst these, 54 facilitators and 120 barriers were identified. Common facilitators included health protection for individuals and their future partners, whilst key barriers were concerns regarding vaccine safety and side effects. Perceptions of risks and benefits emerged as central themes in both categories. Most reported factors were at the intrapersonal (n = 75, 96.2%) and interpersonal (n = 52, 66.7%) levels, with found at the community (n = 27, 38.5%) and policy (n = 28, 35.9%) levels. It is important to emphasize the safety and significance of the HPV vaccine, which should be provided through tailored health education programmes in schools or clinics. This review suggests that future education studies should comprise each domain of the SEM to successfully implement HPV vaccination in adolescent boys. Registration: Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/AWRX6).