Abstract
The human papillomavirus virus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to cervical cancer in women. Two vaccines of Gardasil and Cervarix are being marketed in the United States to prevent HPV infection. We are not aware of any research comparing numerous religions and the role for religion to influence attitudes, intentions, and behaviors towards HPV vaccination. We surveyed 432 young adult women from nine different religious categories that included Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, and Agnostic. We used the theory of planned behavior as the theoretical framework. Those Jewish had the lowest intentions and subjective norms toward obtaining the HPV vaccine. Also, those Jewish had the second to lowest attitude after those Atheist for attitudes toward obtaining the HPV vaccine. Those Evangelical Christian had the greatest odds for previous HPV vaccination (odds ratio: 2.62; 95% confidence interval: 1.15–5.96). There is a potential need to more effectively market the HPV vaccine to those young adult women of the Jewish faith.
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