Although current guidelines recommend standard administration of HPV vaccines for boys and girls at ages 11 to 12 years, less than 34 percent of U.S. adolescent girls aged 13 to 17 years completed all three doses of HPV vaccines in 2012.
Researchers wanted to determine factors related to parental awareness of HPV vaccines in the United States. They examined data on 5,735 parents of children between the ages of 8 and 17 years from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population.
Important findings from the study include:
• Female parents and parents of female children had higher odds of having heard of HPV vaccines than did male parents and parents of male children.
• Parents of uninsured children and parents whose child had not received a checkup in the past year were less likely to have heard of HPV vaccines.
• Parents whose primary language was not English and parents who were born outside the United States had significantly lower odds of HPV vaccines awareness.
• Parents who were married or living with a partner, more educated and who had higher income were also more likely to be aware of HPV vaccines.
More Articles on Vaccines:
CDC Updates Influenza Vaccine Recommendations
University of New Mexico Hospital Union Files Complaint Over Flu Shot Policy
Legal Considerations for Hospitals’ Mandatory Employee Flu Shot Policies
