HPV
vaccination rates remain critically low among younger adolescents in the U.S.
Infectious Diseases Society of
America
Only about 16 percent of U.S.
adolescents have been fully vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) by
the time they turn 13, despite national recommendations that call for
vaccination at 11 to 12 years of age. Published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the new findings highlight the need for stronger efforts to encourage HPV vaccination and to improve immunization rates in this key age group.
"Providers need to be aware
that, while we have seen gains in HPV vaccination coverage, we are still
falling behind at the younger ages," says Robert A. Bednarczyk, PhD, of
Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health and lead author of the
study.
"In general, we need to do a better job of recommending the HPV vaccine at the routine, adolescent, and well-child visits, with a particular focus on 11 to 12 years of age."
"In general, we need to do a better job of recommending the HPV vaccine at the routine, adolescent, and well-child visits, with a particular focus on 11 to 12 years of age."
Nearly 80 million people in the U.S.
are currently infected with some type of HPV, a common virus transmitted
through sexual contact.
Every year, HPV causes approximately 34,000 cancers, including cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancer in women; penile cancer in men; and mouth, throat, and anal cancer in women and men.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Meanwhile, three local Republican state legislators - Rep. Blake Filippi (R-Charlestown), Rep. Justin Price (R-Richmond) and Senator Elaine Morgan (R-Hopkinton) have fought tooth and nail against efforts by the state Education and Health Departments to require school children to be vaccinated against this contagious and highly preventable cancer-causing virus. CLICK HERE for details. - Will Collette
The most recent version of the vaccine protects against seven of the most common types of HPV that cause cancer.
Every year, HPV causes approximately 34,000 cancers, including cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancer in women; penile cancer in men; and mouth, throat, and anal cancer in women and men.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Meanwhile, three local Republican state legislators - Rep. Blake Filippi (R-Charlestown), Rep. Justin Price (R-Richmond) and Senator Elaine Morgan (R-Hopkinton) have fought tooth and nail against efforts by the state Education and Health Departments to require school children to be vaccinated against this contagious and highly preventable cancer-causing virus. CLICK HERE for details. - Will Collette
The most recent version of the vaccine protects against seven of the most common types of HPV that cause cancer.
For the study, researchers analyzed
2016 data from a nationwide survey of parents conducted annually by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention that includes vaccination information
verified by providers.
Overall, an estimated 43.4 percent of 13-to-17-year-olds were fully vaccinated against HPV. But only 15.8 percent of adolescents had received all recommended HPV vaccine doses by their 13th birthday, the analysis found. Among older teens, an estimated 34.8 percent of teens were up-to-date on their HPV vaccination by the time they turned 15.
Overall, an estimated 43.4 percent of 13-to-17-year-olds were fully vaccinated against HPV. But only 15.8 percent of adolescents had received all recommended HPV vaccine doses by their 13th birthday, the analysis found. Among older teens, an estimated 34.8 percent of teens were up-to-date on their HPV vaccination by the time they turned 15.
Timely HPV vaccination at 11 to 12
years of age has several advantages. The immune response to the vaccine is
stronger at a younger age, providing better protection against HPV infections
and the cancers they can cause later in life.
If an adolescent is vaccinated before age 15, only two doses of the HPV vaccine are required, instead of the three doses that are recommended for vaccination after this age.
In addition, the HPV vaccine is one of three vaccines recommended for 11-to-12-year-olds that can be given at the same time. (The tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis [Tdap] vaccine and the meningococcal conjugate vaccine are the other recommended immunizations at these ages.)
If an adolescent is vaccinated before age 15, only two doses of the HPV vaccine are required, instead of the three doses that are recommended for vaccination after this age.
In addition, the HPV vaccine is one of three vaccines recommended for 11-to-12-year-olds that can be given at the same time. (The tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis [Tdap] vaccine and the meningococcal conjugate vaccine are the other recommended immunizations at these ages.)
The new analysis also found that
adolescents with more than one health care provider were not as likely to be up
to date on their HPV vaccination by age 13 or 15.
These results highlight the need for good record keeping, effective use of state immunization information systems, and increased provider awareness to make sure these patients are not overlooked when considering vaccination opportunities, Bednarczyk says.
These results highlight the need for good record keeping, effective use of state immunization information systems, and increased provider awareness to make sure these patients are not overlooked when considering vaccination opportunities, Bednarczyk says.
In a related editorial commentary,
Melissa B. Gilkey, PhD, and Marjorie A. Margolis, MPSH, both of the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and who were not involved with the new study,
noted that the results indicate much work remains to achieve HPV vaccination
rates in line with current U.S. guidelines.
"Fully realizing the potential
of HPV vaccination will require a multi-faceted effort involving scalable
health systems interventions, a greater understanding of geographic disparities
in HPV vaccination coverage, and improved data on HPV vaccination," they
wrote in their commentary, which appears with the study in the Journal
of Infectious Diseases.
As the findings show, they noted, "vaccination timeliness is critically low and our work is far from complete."
As the findings show, they noted, "vaccination timeliness is critically low and our work is far from complete."