Date of Award
Fall 2009
Project Type
Thesis
Program or Major
Sociology
Degree Name
Master of Arts
First Advisor
Sharyn Potter
Abstract
In the summer of 2006 the Food and Drug Administration approved a new vaccine to prevent four types of the Human Papillomavirus believed to cause the majority of genital warts and cervical cancer in women. Since that time the vaccine has experienced considerable uptake among women while it has also been met by some criticism. Current medical research aims to understand if the vaccine, which has been approved only for women, could be used to prevent HPV in men.
Little empirical research has been conducted to understand whether or not men would be willing to receive a vaccine for a sexually transmitted infection that poses few serious health risks for them. This research investigates the level of acceptance among a sample of males at a large public university in New Hampshire as well as some of the possible predictors of men's acceptance of a Human Papillomavirus vaccine. Specifically, men's perceived risk for contracting the virus and its possible health consequences and their perceived sense of responsibility for sexual behavior will be examined as predictors of vaccine acceptance.
Recommended Citation
Mitiguy, Angela Marie, "The effects of perceived risk and responsibility on the acceptance of a Human Papillomavirus vaccine by college men" (2009). Master's Theses and Capstones. 119.
https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/119