health
HPV vaccine coverage remains low in girls
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 5, 2013
Human papillomavirus vaccine coverage among adolescent girls has stalled, said a report in the July 26 issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
In 2012, only 53.8% of girls age 13 to 17 received at least one dose of HPV vaccine, and 33.4% took all three doses in the series, data show. Similar percentages were reported in 2011, when 53% of adolescent girls received at least one HPV vaccine dose and 34.8% got three doses.
This is the first year that HPV vaccine coverage hasn’t increased among adolescent girls since the immunization was recommended for that population in 2006, the CDC said (link).
Researchers examined data on youths who participated in the 2007-2012 National Immunization Survey-Teen and assessed information from national postlicensure vaccine safety monitoring.
To boost HPV immunization coverage, the CDC encourages physicians to educate parents about the importance of the vaccine and its safety, and to communicate strong, clear recommendations for the immunization.
