Whose decision? Participants’ positions and cognitive authorities in HPV vaccine discussion.

Authors

• Noora Hirvonen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.91126

Keywords:

vaccines, decision-making, discourse, information sources

Abstract

Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines are used to prevent HPV infections and associated diseases, especially cervical cancer. In Finland, the vaccine is included in the national vaccination program and is offered to adolescents free of charge. Focusing on HPV vaccination discourses, this study asks: 1. Who are the key vaccination decision-makers and how are they positioned and 2. what kind of information sources are constructed as authoritative in this context? The material for the study comprises of Finnish news articles and online discussion threads, which were analysed using positioning analysis. The study shows that young people, their parents, and health authorities are alternatingly positioned as active decision-makers. Biomedical, institutional, experiential, and individual cognitive authorities stand out as pivotal for decision-making, and they are both supported and challenged in different ways in the discussions. The study highlights the need to further explore vaccination decision as the re-sult of shared decision-making among multiple participants.