CDC: Many Young Girls Not Getting HPV Vaccination

HealthDay News — Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among American girls remain too low, according to research published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Researchers from the CDC and the National Committee for Quality Assurance analyzed vaccination data on 626,318 girls at age 13 enrolled in either private insurance plans or Medicaid in 2013.

All three doses of HPV vaccine were given to a median of 12% of privately insured girls and 19% of those covered by Medicaid. Rates in different programs ranged from 0 to 34% for those with private coverage, and 5 to 52% for girls with Medicaid.

“Increasing delivery of HPV vaccination at the recommended ages of 11 or 12 years, before most adolescents are exposed to the virus, can ensure adolescents are protected against HPV infections and associated cancers,” according to the report.

Reference

1. Ng J, Ye F, Roth L, et al. HPV Vaccination Coverage Among Female Adolescents in Managed Care Plans — United States, 2013. MMWR. 2015;64(42):1185-1189.