Beyond the Myths: Family Physicians’ Perceptions of Parental Attitudes, Barriers and Counselling Approaches Considered Effective for HPV Vaccination in Romania: A Cross-Sectional Convenience Survey

Background and Objectives: Family physicians are central to HPV vaccination delivery in Romania, yet little is known about how they perceive recent changes in parental attitudes and the barriers encountered in routine practice. We described these perceptions and examined factors associated with reporting a perceived change. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of a non-probability convenience sample of 525 primary-care physicians was conducted in February 2025. Closed responses were summarised descriptively, free-text responses underwent structured thematic content analysis, and robust Poisson regression estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs), with nominal inference. Results: Amongst respondents, 82.9% reported perceiving a change in parental attitudes; 67.4% provided content meeting a conservative favourable-coding definition and 76.8% a broader definition. Safety concerns and fear (51.9%) and distrust or resistance (46.8%) were the most frequent barriers. Digital sources were perceived as the principal origins of myths (95.6%). Urban respondents reported perceived change more often than rural respondents (88.2% versus 69.9%; aPR 1.265, 95% CI 1.133–1.413; p < 0.001), with similar estimates across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: In this convenience sample, most physicians reported perceiving changes in parental attitudes and many descriptions were coded as favourable. These reports generate hypotheses for studies using direct parental measures and documented vaccination outcomes.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Epidemiologia
Published
2026-11-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia7060154
Primary Topic
Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Beyond the Myths: Family Physicians’ Perceptions of Parental Attitudes, Barriers and Counselling Approaches Considered Effective for HPV Vaccination in Romania: A Cross-Sectional Convenience Survey

Florin Proşa, Cosmina Berbecel, Dorica Sănduţu, Daniela Ştefănescu et al.
Epidemiologia
Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
article

Beyond the Myths: Family Physicians’ Perceptions of Parental Attitudes, Barriers and Counselling Approaches Considered Effective for HPV Vaccination in Romania: A Cross-Sectional Convenience Survey

Florin Proşa, Cosmina Berbecel, Dorica Sănduţu, Daniela Ştefănescu, Anca Deleanu, Roxana Surugiu, Gindrovel Gheorghe Dumitra, Virginia Maria Rădulescu, Monica Curelea, Ioana Budiu, Adrian Grom, Maria Lup, Anca Maria Lăcătuș, Cristina Vasilica Barbu, Sandra Adalgiza Alexiu, Mădălina Vesa, Carmen-Adriana Dogaru
article en

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Family physicians are central to HPV vaccination delivery in Romania, yet little is known about how they perceive recent changes in parental attitudes and the barriers encountered in routine practice. We described these perceptions and examined factors associated with reporting a perceived change. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of a non-probability convenience sample of 525 primary-care physicians was conducted in February 2025. Closed responses were summarised descriptively, free-text responses underwent structured thematic content analysis, and robust Poisson regression estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs), with nominal inference. Results: Amongst respondents, 82.9% reported perceiving a change in parental attitudes; 67.4% provided content meeting a conservative favourable-coding definition and 76.8% a broader definition. Safety concerns and fear (51.9%) and distrust or resistance (46.8%) were the most frequent barriers. Digital sources were perceived as the principal origins of myths (95.6%). Urban respondents reported perceived change more often than rural respondents (88.2% versus 69.9%; aPR 1.265, 95% CI 1.133–1.413; p < 0.001), with similar estimates across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: In this convenience sample, most physicians reported perceiving changes in parental attitudes and many descriptions were coded as favourable. These reports generate hypotheses for studies using direct parental measures and documented vaccination outcomes.

EpidemiologiaVol. 7(6)
University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova (RO), Romanian Society of Nephrology (RO), University of Craiova (RO)
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Laika access coming soon