Both girls and parents had different views about doses of vaccine, some thinking that additional

booster doses were required in the next few years. Some participants were unsure about the need to vaccinate young girls and were not sure why age was an important factor. Similarly, some parents thought that the vaccine was for older girls, ones who had already had sex, while other parents thought girls could not get the vaccine after becoming sexually active. Some parents thought that the vaccine was designed for individuals who had many sexual partners. “…I thought what a fantastic thing [the vaccine], because I actually went to school with a girl who can’t have children because she’s got cervical ISRIB in vitro cancer, and the reason she has cervical cancer is because she was very promiscuous when she was at school with me” (E, P2). Since the vaccine is given for free

to females, many girls thought that only girls could PCI-32765 nmr contract HPV. “It’s [HPV is] an STI, and it only happens to girls…” (C, FG2). At another school, the interviewer probed the focus group for more information on this topic: “Boys don’t have cervix, and it’s not like a sexual disease, it’s just cancer… One cancer Girls were not alone in their confusion over who should receive the vaccine, though. Parents also were unsure. “I think boys would be having a different vaccine…” (G, P1). Many of the younger girls did not know what Pap smears were, but of the ones who did, many thought that Pap smears would still be important. Other girls guessed what the Pap smear might test for. “‘Cervical cancer…’ ‘STIs…’ ‘AIDS?”’ (G, FG3). Many girls expressed concern that they did not understand how the vaccine, Pap smears, and cervical cancer were all connected. One girl explained: “Yeah I just thought the shot meant that you’d have more chance of NOT getting cervical cancer, but I didn’t know anything about POP smears…” (D, FG2). Some girls also mentioned that they supposed someone would educate them about Pap smears when they were older. In addition, there were also girls

that were certain Pap smears were now unnecessary. Parents, on the other hand, were more likely to think that girls who had been secondly vaccinated still needed to have Pap smears, although some were unsure. A few parents stated that they had not heard anything about Pap smear guidelines after vaccination. Girls asked questions about things that they had heard related to the vaccination. Myths about vaccination, side effects, and behaviours related to vaccination were prevalent among girls, though not among parents. General statements about the vaccine were common: “I heard it hadn’t been proven to work…” (F, FG1). Other comments included: “She said that her aunt said that you can go blind when you get older after having the vaccine…” and “Someone died” (E, FG2). Also, girls had heard several rumours about where the vaccine was given. “Someone said it goes in your vagina…” (E, FG1).