HEPATITIS-B VACCINE ACCEPTANCE AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND THEIR PARENTS

Purpose: To employ theoretic health decision models to determine strat egies that may facilitate acceptance of hepatitis vaccination programs among adolescents and their parents/guardians. Methods: The research was conducted in a hospital-based adolescent clinic between January an d September 1994. Eighty adolescents and 65 parents participated in a survey that was administered to new patients. Two groups (those who ac cepted the vaccine and those who rejected it) were compared for each v ariable and potential predictor. Results: The majority of adolescents and parents indicated that their clinic care provider was the initial contact to initiate discussion about the vaccine. Significant predicto rs for parents' acceptance of the vaccination were their perceptions o f the vaccine's importance to the care provider and concern about the general risk of the disease. Predictors for adolescents' acceptance of the vaccine was their perception that their parents felt it was impor tant and the extent to which they believed it was for ''everyone'' to be vaccinated. Conclusions: Providers should be aware that adolescents are influenced by their parent's opinions and that the care provider' s endorsement of the vaccine may be a key factor in parental acceptanc e of the vaccine. Results of this study have potential implications fo r public health approaches to facilitate vaccine acceptance.