New Findings Shed Light on Who's Afraid of HPV

(PhysOrg.com) -- The "cultural cognition thesis" argues that individuals form risk perceptions based on often-contested personal views about what makes a good society. But what does it reveal about people's views regarding one of the most hotly debated health care proposals in recent years: vaccinating elementary-school girls, ages 11-12, against human papillomavirus (HPV), a widespread sexually transmitted disease?

Join the National Science Foundation for a live webcast as Yale University law professor Dan Kahan discusses new details of an experimental study that asks the following questions: Who fears the HPV vaccine, who doesn't and why? The webcast is embargoed until the research findings are published online in a major peer-reviewed journal on Jan. 13.

Who:

Journalists only please

When:

Jan. 12, 2010, 11 a.m.

How:

Passwords are needed to access the webcast and to ask questions during the live event; journalists interested in participating must e-mail webcast@nsf.gov to obtain the necessary passwords.

Where:

Visit www.science360.gov/live and/or call 888-790-1965 to access the webcast.

Journalists are encouraged to submit questions in advance to webcast@nsf.gov.

*** ALL MATERIAL SHARED AND PRESENTED WILL BE EMBARGOED UNTIL JAN. 13 at 1 p.m.***

Provided by NSF