Why do parents still resist HPV vaccine?

Oct. 31--Some parents refuse their children the human papillomavirus vaccine, despite the protection it provides against HPV, the cancers it causes and the prediction that everyone will be exposed to HPV during their lifetime.

Human papillomavirus, HPV, is responsible for more than 9 of every 10 cases of cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Every year in America, according to the CDC:

* Nearly 200,000 women are estimated to be diagnosed with cervical precancerous, or abnormal cells on the cervix that can lead to cancer;

* Nearly 11,000 cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV;

* More than 4,000 women die from HPV; and

* More than 14,000 men get cancers caused by HPV.

HPV vaccination prevents more than 90% of HPV cancers, according to the CDC.

Infections with HPV types that cause the most cancers and genital warts among teen girls dropped 86%, and among women by 71%, since the HPV vaccination came into use in 2006.

And, among adult women who are vaccinated, the percentage of cervical precancers caused by HPV dropped by 40%, according to the CDC.

Still, HPV vaccination rates are low, compared to other vaccinations nationwide for a variety of reasons. Some states do better than others. Indiana ranks 33 in the nation for HPV vaccinations, according to a recent poll by WalletHub.

The vaccination is recommended for girls and boys starting at age 11. It is given in two doses if started before age 15 and three doses if given at 15 or older.

Parents of girls hesitate to have them vaccinated because of safety concerns, they don't think it's necessary, their physician didn't recommend it, or the parent lacked knowledge about HPV, a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found.

Parents of boys said they hesitated for the same reasons and also because the boy wasn't sexually active, and was not a girl, according to the study.

HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, and although most 11-year-olds are not sexually active, the vaccine is most effective when introduced to younger patients, Lisa Younts, Boone County Health Department public health nurse, said.

"It's given at a younger age just because the immune system is more effective to produce that antibody," Younts said. "As you get older your immune response wanes a little bit and it won't respond as strongly."

HPV is so common that nearly all men and women will get at least one type of it in their lives, according to the CDC. Nearly 80 million Americans are currently infected with some type of HPV, and about 14 million Americans, including teens, become infected each year.

Although the HPV vaccine is recommended for anyone up to age 26 who hasn't had it, the CDC recommends the series be given before exposure to HPV for it to be the most effective and to ensure children are protected long before they are exposed to the virus. Some adults through age 45 may be a candidate for it but should talk with their physician first.

The HPV vaccine is not among those required for a child to attend public school, and some physicians fail to mention it, so some parents think their children don't need it, according to the study.

Other parents fear for their child's safety. More than 10 years of monitoring and research have shown the HPV vaccine to be safe, according to the CDC. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the vaccine, considers it safe, and it is continuously monitored for safety, as are all vaccines.

Public health officials are fighting to alert parents to the dangers of HPV and that they can request the vaccination.

Younts, a registered nurse, said she's seeing parents more willing to allow required and recommended vaccines, especially for HPV. She credits better communication for the change in attitude.

"I think there's more awareness and more education being put out into the public," she said. Even parents who are reluctant usually choose vaccinations after Younts answers their questions and concerns. She does not push them, though.

"I give them the facts, and they make an informed decision," she said.

The health department participates in Vaccines for Children, a federal program that provides low-cost vaccines for underinsured and uninsured children and another program that does the same for adults.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the health department at 765-482-3942.

The CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration agree the current vaccine supply is the safest in history. For more information on vaccine safety, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/index.html.

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