At-risk African American girls value Gardasil.(GYNECOLOGY)

After participating in education and focus groups, poor, at-risk African American adolescent girls and their parents or caregivers had favorable opinions about the girls' receiving the human papillomavirus vaccine, a new study suggests.

The study also found that these teens were most focused on the HPV vaccine as a way to reduce their risk for sexually transmitted diseases, rather than as a way to reduce their risk for cervical cancer.

"For this group, talking about this as an STD vaccine is going to be what hits home for them," said Amy Leader, Dr. P. H., who presented the results on behalf of principal investigator Dr. Ian Frank. Both researchers are with the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

The study is part of a larger project that is designed to raise awareness about HPV and cervical cancer and to increase vaccination rates in five inner-city neighborhoods in Philadelphia and in communities in northeast Pennsylvania, explained Dr. Leader, research director at the Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research at the university.

"This is an underserved population of girls at very high risk of HPV due to their behavior, and they have low access and awareness of the vaccine," Dr. Leader said in an interview. "These are exactly the type of girls who will benefit most from this vaccine."

Among 71 teens who were recruited from inner-city recreation centers and community nonprofit groups in Philadelphia, 40% reported having started the HPV vaccine series; 44% of those who had not yet started indicated they were "very likely" or "likely" to do so soon.

The 40% one-time vaccination rate in the study may be an overestimation, she said, because many of the girls were unsure if they had specifically received the HPV vaccine or if they had completed the series.