Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jan 26, 2026
Date Accepted: Aug 13, 2026
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine–Related Discourse on Seven Social Media: A Scoping Review of Communication Content, Information Sources, and Analytical Approaches
ABSTRACT
Background:
Social media has become an important channel for health information dissemination and plays a significant role in shaping public opinion of the human papillomavirus vaccine. Although an increasing number of studies have examined human papillomavirus vaccine-related content on social media platforms, comprehensive cross-platform studies remain limited.
Objective:
This scoping review aimed to synthesize existing research, focusing on communication content, information sources, and methodological characteristics.
Methods:
Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, systematic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Scopus were conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 2004 and 2025 that analyzed human papillomavirus vaccine-related social media content.
Results:
Of the 37 included studies, most focused on sentiment-oriented analyses, typically classifying content as positive, neutral, or negative. Thematic analyses commonly identified vaccine benefits and cancer prevention, alongside concerns regarding safety and side effects. Across platforms, human papillomavirus vaccine-related content was mainly generated by personal accounts, which were more frequently associated with negative sentiment and misinformation. Health professional-generated content was less common but generally higher in quality. Despite larger datasets in recent studies, the application of established theoretical frameworks remained limited.
Conclusions:
This review highlights the dominance of descriptive and sentiment-focused research on human papillomavirus vaccine-related social media content and underscores the need for stronger theoretical integration and greater involvement of authoritative sources to support effective communication on social media.
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Copyright
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