The 2006 approval of the HPV vaccine for use in the United States was accompanied by a large, public campaign targeted specifically at young women. Certain strains of human papilloma virus (HPV) can cause cervical cancer, while other strains may cause genital warts. The pharmaceutical company Merck adopted “Tell someone” as their official motto, the intention of which was to encourage women to voice their support for the vaccine and encourage their friends to follow suit. A recent study published in Human Communication Research shows that communication between mothers and daughters is extremely important in the decision-making process. The study was conducted via questionnaires mailed to college-aged women, and the results showed that the majority of women who reported having received the vaccine had previously discussed the issue with their mothers. These findings suggest that although the subject is sometimes difficult to discuss, due to the fact that HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, it is important that mothers maintain an open dialogue with their daughters to reduce the prevalence of the infection and the cancers it can cause.
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