Linda Niccolai (United States of America)
Yale School of Public Health School of Public HealthPresenter of 1 Presentation
HPV VACCINATION AMONG YOUNG ADULT WOMEN: COVERAGE, KNOWLEDGE, AND BARRIERS (ID 838)
Abstract
Introduction
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been available in the United States (US) for women since 2006, but only moderate uptake has been achieved. Routine vaccination is recommended at ages 11–12, and catch-up vaccination is recommended through age 26 years. The purpose of this analysis was to describe coverage and patterns of immunization among a diverse urban sample of young adult women.
Methods
Women born after 1980 (age-eligible for HPV vaccination) with normal cervical cancer screening results enrolled in a case-control study of HPV vaccine effectiveness during 2016–2019 were included in this analysis (n=285). Data were obtained from medical record reviews for HPV vaccination and self-administered interviews.
Results
The sample was diverse with respect to race/ethnicity (53% white, 19% black, 17% Hispanic) and socioeconomic status (60% college degree, 73% private insurance). A total of 103 women (36.1%) had received HPV vaccine. Women who had not received HPV vaccine had lower knowledge that HPV is a common infection (81% vs. 90%, p=.05) and that HPV causes genital warts (60% vs. 86%, p<.001). Among unvaccinated women, the most common reasons were not being offered vaccine (42%) and believing they were too old (42%).
Conclusions
HPV vaccination coverage continues to be suboptimal in young adult women in the US. Poor HPV knowledge is associated with not being vaccinated; efforts to raise awareness of the frequency and sequelae of HPV infection could promote uptake. Many women also believed they were too old for vaccination, though all women were age-eligible for vaccination. Lack of recommendation continues to persist as a common reason for not being vaccinated. Raising awareness of catch-up recommendations to age 26 years (and new recommendations for shared decision making to age 45) among both women and health care providers could further promote uptake in young adult women.