HPV Vaccine Perceptions: Young Adults & TikTok Influencers
Problem
The U.S is currently not on track to meet HPV vaccination targets.
HPV vaccination rates declined dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Young adults ages 18-26 have been less likely to complete the series—and now, with the delays in vaccination that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, this group has less time to obtain catch-up vaccinations, which are recommended only through age 26.
Young adults who are not yet vaccinated and not enrolled in college are lacking connections to traditional approaches aimed at college students. Additionally, early evidence indicates that decision-making roles about vaccination may be shifting, with young adults more likely than adolescents to seek health information online and to make their own health decisions, rather than parents.
Solution
NORC conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews.
It is critical to better understand non-college young adults’ perceptions of the HPV vaccine and explore the role of novel platforms and strategies to reach them. TikTok is emerging as a powerful channel for health information dissemination to this group, with findings from this study suggesting it may be an effective environment in which to disseminate HPV vaccination information.
NORC has partnered with Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) to conduct five focus groups with young adults not in college and nine in-depth interviews with TikTok influencers to understand:
- Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about the HPV vaccine, trusted sources for health information, and intentions to vaccinate against HPV among 18- to 26-year-old males and females not enrolled in higher education
- TikTok influencers’ perceptions of health information content on TikTok, interest and willingness to share health information (in particular about the HPV vaccine), and approaches to messaging health information on TikTok
Result
Findings suggest that TikTok may be a promising platform for engaging non-college young adults in HPV vaccination messaging.
Non-college young adults demonstrated general awareness of HPV and the existence of a vaccine but reported limited knowledge about eligibility, benefits, and safety—particularly among those who were unvaccinated. Few participants recalled seeing HPV vaccination content on TikTok, despite regularly encountering health-related information on the platform. Participants described TikTok as an accessible and relatable source of information and emphasized the importance of authenticity, personal storytelling, and concise facts when engaging with health content.
TikTok influencers reported close, trusted relationships with their followers built through frequent engagement via comments and direct messages, underscoring the importance of authenticity. While HPV vaccination was not commonly discussed on their platforms, many influencers expressed openness to sharing HPV-related content when it aligned with their personal experiences, content style, or a structured campaign or partnership. Together, these findings point to opportunities for leveraging trusted influencers and authentic messaging strategies to address HPV vaccine knowledge gaps among an otherwise underserved population.
