Vaccine Name Framing, Relationship Status, and Fear: Examining Heterosexual Men’s Intention to Vaccinate against Human Papillomavirus Infection

Against the backdrop of calling for nonfemale-oriented promotion of vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), this study explored three potential names—“HPV Vaccine,” “Cervical Cancer Vaccine,” and “Genital Warts Vaccine”—to promote vaccination against HPV infection among heterosexual men. To assess the effect of vaccine names presented in promotional messages on heterosexual men's vaccination decisions, we drew on theories of label framing and reference points. Through a single-factor between-subjects experiment with 278 participants, we examined how these vaccine names, functioned as label frames, influenced men's vaccination intentions through their fear, and how this influence varied across men's relationship status. Moderated mediation analysis showed that men in relationships exposed to “Cervical Cancer Vaccine” experienced greater fear of spreading the virus to partners, which heightened vaccination intention compared to “Genital Warts Vaccine.” Single men exposed to “HPV Vaccine,” as opposed to “Cervical Cancer Vaccine,” had a higher fear of infecting future partners, boosting their vaccination intentions. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.