TL;DR
Although mandates alone are unlikely to achieve national HPV vaccination targets, they may serve as an important component of comprehensive state efforts to increase uptake and prevent HPV-related cancers.
Abstract Background To eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, the WHO recommends that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines should be included in national immunisation programmes and should reach 90% of all girls by age 15 as primary prevention. Lesotho reintroduced the national HPV vaccine programme in 2022. Objective To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of HPV vaccination uptake among adolescent girls in Lesotho. Design A population-based cross-sectional study design. Setting Lesotho. Participants Girls aged 15–17. Primary and secondary outcome measures A multilevel Poisson regression model with robust variance was applied to identify factors associated with HPV vaccination uptake. An adjusted prevalence ratio with a 95% CI was reported. Results The uptake of HPV vaccination among adolescent girls in Lesotho was 52.15% (95% CI 48.43 to 55.84). Girls aged 16 and 17 and those residing in the Maseru district were significantly associated with a lower proportion of HPV vaccination uptake. While, ever heard of cervical cancer and ever heard of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were found to be linked with a higher proportion of HPV vaccination uptake. Conclusion HPV vaccination uptake among adolescent girls in Lesotho was far behind the WHO 2030 target. Raising awareness about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination via targeted education is vital. A comprehensive sexual health education programme that includes information on STIs and HPV can improve vaccination uptake, especially in districts with low uptake.
OBJECTIVE Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can cause anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. In France, HPV vaccination is recommended for children aged 11 to 14, with a catch-up campaign recently extended up to age 26. In Réunion, vaccination coverage remains insufficient despite national recommendations. Vaccinating adult students, who are autonomous in their decisions and no longer require parental consent, could serve as a lever to increase vaccination rates. The primary objective of this study was to assess the acceptability of HPV vaccination among students at the University of Réunion. METHODS A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was conducted from January 13 to January 29, 2026, using an anonymous self-administered online questionnaire. Students from different university campuses were included. RESULTS Among 725 recorded connections, 714 students were included and 474 fully completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 21.0 ± 4.3 years. The overall vaccine acceptability rate was 61.3%. Knowledge appeared limited, with a mean transmission score of 1.9 ± 1.1 out of 4 on questions concerning transmission of the virus. Non-vaccinated students were more frequently scholarship recipients (p = 0.033), and 46.9% reported willingness to be vaccinated. CONCLUSION In the context of catch-up vaccination extended up to 26 years, targeted university-based interventions could improve vaccination coverage in this insular territory.
College students remain at increased risk for acquiring human papillomavirus (HPV), yet HPV vaccination coverage remains suboptimal despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. This study examined predictors of HPV vaccination and HPV- and HPV vaccine-related knowledge, beliefs, and hesitancy among undergraduate students at a southern United States university. An online cross-sectional survey was administered to undergraduate students aged 18-26 years in November 2024. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, vaccination status, and HPV-related measures. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with HPV vaccination status while estimating adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Among 1,127 respondents (mean age, 20.1 years), most were female (74.1%), White (74.9%), and insured (90.4%). Overall, 48.4% reported receiving at least one dose of the HPV vaccine, with only 21.7% completion. More than 30% were unsure of their HPV vaccination status. HPV knowledge, HPV vaccine knowledge and beliefs, and vaccine hesitancy were all independently associated with vaccination status (all p < 0.001). Participants with stronger positive HPV vaccine beliefs and lower vaccine hesitancy had significantly greater odds of reporting HPV vaccination. In secondary analyses, both provider and parental recommendation were significantly associated with younger age at initiation. HPV vaccination initiation and completion remain low among college students, with substantial gaps in knowledge, awareness, and confidence. College campuses represent an important setting for interventions that improve HPV-related knowledge, strengthen vaccine confidence, increase awareness of personal vaccination status, and promote vaccination to reduce future HPV-associated cancers.
BACKGROUND Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination represents a cornerstone of cervical cancer prevention and is essential to achieving the WHO elimination targets in Europe. The study aimed to assess HPV vaccination coverage trends among adolescent females across Europe, identify key predictors of uptake, and evaluate the association between the introduction of HPV vaccination into National Immunization Programmes (NIPs) and public interest, as reflected by online search activity. METHODS This country-level longitudinal study analysed available 2010-2023 full-dose HPV vaccination coverage data among 15-year-old females across 43 European countries, by years since introduction within the NIPs. Socioeconomic, institutional, health-system, and delivery indicators were integrated with Google Trends Relative Search Volume for the "HPV vaccine" topic. Multivariable GEE models were used to identify predictors of vaccination coverage, while Pearson correlations assessed the association between Relative Search Volume and coverage. RESULTS Coverage among adolescent females increased markedly after NIP introduction, with population-weighted coverage reaching about 40% by year 2 and stabilising at 55-60% by year 5. Coverage exceeded 60% in most countries by year 15. Multivariable analyses identified lower public disagreement with vaccine safety and higher physician density as significant determinants, with interactions between time since NIP introduction and HDI. School-based programmes were associated with a faster increase. Among 32 countries with Google Trends data, 53% showed significant Relative Search Volume changes after NIP introduction, and Relative Search Volume strongly correlated with coverage (r = 0.89). CONCLUSIONS HPV vaccination coverage among adolescent females in Europe remains uneven and below the WHO 90% target. Strengthening public confidence, primary care capacity, school-based delivery, and digital monitoring may help close immunization gaps and accelerate progress toward cervical cancer elimination.
PURPOSE To investigate the percent of adolescents who receive human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine with one or more other vaccines recommended for adolescents in a single medical visit. METHODS Data from the 2023 National Immunization Survey-Teen were analyzed. Timing of receipt of HPV vaccine, tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap), quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY), and influenza vaccine was assessed using provider-reported vaccination histories. RESULTS In 2023, among adolescents aged 13-17 years, 69.5% received HPV vaccine with one or more other vaccines recommended for adolescents in a single medical visit. In addition, 47.8% received specifically HPV vaccine, Tdap, and MenACWY together in a single medical visit. DISCUSSION The HPV vaccine is commonly given with other vaccines recommended for adolescents in a single medical visit. These findings demonstrate variation in simultaneous vaccination patterns, suggesting that flexibility in the recommended adolescent vaccination schedule allows for different approaches to vaccination across clinical settings and family preferences while maintaining adherence to the recommended schedule.
