Pierre Van Damme (Belgium)
University of Antwerp Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute - Centre for Evaluation of VaccinationAuthor Of 1 Presentation
HIGH UPTAKE OF HPV VACCINATION IN ADOLESCENT BOYS ONE YEAR AFTER ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN FLANDERS (BELGIUM)
Abstract
Backgrounds:
Only 10 of the 27 EU countries offer gender-neutral HPV-vaccination. In most of them, uptake is lower in boys than in girls. From the school year 2019-2020 onwards, the Flemish government offers gender-neutral free HPV-vaccination in the first year of secondary education, thereby including adolescent boys in its vaccination strategy. In 2021, a survey was performed using the WHO’s EPI-method to assess (among others) adolescent HPV-vaccination coverage in Flanders, Belgium.
Methods
A total of 955 adolescents (°2007) were recruited in 103 municipalities through a two-stage randomized cluster design. After signing informed consent, a parent/caregiver of the adolescent was interviewed at home or through video call (pandemic-dependent). Available documents on vaccination history of the child were transcribed and later completed with information from the electronic Flemish vaccination registry and medical records. The coverage of recommended vaccines in childhood and adolescence was assessed, including HPV-vaccination in boys and girls.
Results:
Overall, 854 adolescents received a first dose of the HPV vaccine (89.4%), and 771 received a second dose (80.7%). In girls, who have been offered HPV-vaccination since 2010, the coverage reached 92.3% and 84.3% for the first and second dose, respectively. Notably, 88.1% of boys in our cohort, who were the first to be offered HPV-vaccination, had received a first (p=0.05 vs. girls), and 78.4% a second dose (p<0.001 vs. girls).
Conclusions/Learning Points:
The first year after the implementation of HPV-vaccination in boys already spurred an immense uptake. The coverage for the first dose is only marginally below that of girls but comparable to that when girls were first offered the vaccine (87.5%). The planning of the second dose coincided with the first COVID-19 lockdown, which could have impacted its coverage.
Poster Author Of 3 e-Posters
EP068 - INFANT VACCINATIONS IN FLANDERS (BELGIUM) BACK ON SCHEDULE AFTER COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS (ID 1467)
EP300 - PNEUMOCOCCAL SEROTYPE DISTRIBUTION IN HEALTHY CHILDREN ATTENDING DAY-CARE CENTRES IN PANDEMIC TIMES: THE 6TH PERIOD OF THE BELGIAN NASOPHARYNGEAL CARRIAGE STUDY (ID 1257)
