Effects of religion, politics and distance to providers on HPV vaccine attitudes and intentions of parents in rural Utah.

Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes an estimated 300,000 high grade cervical dysplasias and 36,000 preventable cancers each year in the United States alone. Despite having a safe, effective and long lasting vaccine since 2006, the rate of uptake has been suboptimal, particularly in rural areas. In 2020, Utah ranked near last in teenage HPV vaccination rates with rural areas trailing urban areas by about 18 percent.