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| |  Survey: More US Physicians Need to Encourage HPV Vaccination of Young Girls AURORA, Colo -- August 2, 2010 -- The vast majority of US paediatricians and family physicians nationally are offering the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, though fewer physicians are strongly encouraging it for 11- to 12-year-old girls, as recommended by national guidelines, according to a survey in the September issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this is the first study to look at current HPV vaccination practices of US physicians since the 3-dose vaccine series was licensed in 2006 and widely available. Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Children's Hospital, Denver, Colorado, surveyed 429 paediatricians and 419 family physicians in early 2008 from throughout the United States, and found that 98% of paediatricians and 88% of family physicians reported that HPV vaccine was being administered to their female patients. "HPV vaccination is our best chance at preventing cervical cancer, so it's reassuring doctors are using it. However, vaccination should ideally begin at 11 years of age, so that young women complete the 3-dose series and are protected," said study lead author Matthew F. Daley, MD, University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Research, Denver, Colorado. The goal of the HPV vaccine is to prevent HPV infections and ultimately reduce the rates of cervical cancer. Virtually all cervical cancer is caused by HPV infections, and caused by HPV. Approximately 20 million people in the United States are currently infected with genital human papillomavirus. There are many different HPV strains, and current HPV vaccines protect against 2 HPV strains that cause roughly 70% of cervical cancer cases. The vaccination is recommended currently for 11- to 12-year-old girls, with "catch-up" vaccinations for females aged 13 to 26 years who have not been vaccinated. This survey also uncovered a range of attitudes among physicians related to administering the HPV vaccine to female adolescents. Forty two percent of paediatricians and 54% of family physicians considered it necessary to discuss sexuality before recommending HPV vaccine, though few physicians thought that vaccination would encourage earlier or riskier sexual behaviour among teens. However, almost half of the physicians reported that parents were concerned about this issue. Parent opposition to HPV vaccination for moral or religious reasons was perceived as definitely or somewhat a barrier by 23% of paediatricians and 33% of family physicians. Most surveyed physicians were not using active strategies (such as sending reminders) to ensure that patients who started HPV vaccination received all 3 doses, which may further delay the age by which patients are fully immunised. The study was conducted by the Vaccine Policy Collaborative Initiative, a programme designed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to perform assessments of physician attitudes about vaccine-related issues. A national network of US physicians was developed for this programme through the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
SOURCE: University of Colorado Denver
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