Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: The current study presents findings from a qualitative examination of free text comments from a national survey of U.S. physicians on human papillomavirus vaccine recommendation beliefs and practices. Qualitative analyses of free text physician responses may offer a more complete and physician-driven description of influences on human papillomavirus vaccine recommendation. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: In 2009, a survey assessing physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and human papillomavirus vaccination practices was conducted among a national sample of U.S. physicians practicing Family Medicine, Pediatrics, or Obstetrics/Gynecology (response rate 67.8%). Qualitative comments were analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach. RESULTS: Of 1008 completed surveys, 112 participants provided comments, which were organized into three primary HPV vaccine-related themes: (a) comments about cost of the vaccine, (b) comments about institutional policies and procedures, and (c) physicians' personal views and one secondary theme related to survey methodology: the parent study's use of an upfront cash incentive. Many comments pertained to issues that were queried in the closed-end survey items; however, some comments provided insight into understudied areas (e.g., physician attitudes regarding survey methodology). CONCLUSION: Physician respondents used the free text space to reemphasize issues that were most important to them and to offer insight about aspects of the vaccine and the survey process.