California women knowledge, use, and barriers to the use of human papillomavirus vaccine, 2011

Background: The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common cause of cervical cancer. About six million people in the United States (US) are newly infected with HPV each year. An HPV vaccine that would protect against the main types of HPV associated with cervical cancer was approved for males and females ages 9-26. However, less than a third of the U.S. population has heard of HPV with even lower awareness among young women. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine California women's awareness, use, and barriers to the HPV vaccine. Method: Women ages 18 and older throughout California completed a telephone health survey. Differences between groups were evaluated using Chi Square statistics. Results: About 81% of women, ages 18-26, reported being aware of HPV vaccines. Women, who were aware of HPV vaccines, were more likely to have insurance and higher income. Of women who knew of HPV vaccines, 31.5% reported having obtained at least one vaccination in 2011 higher than in 2009 (25.0%) and in 2007 (8.6%). The top three barriers to HPV vaccine use were: safety concerns (27.5%), lack of need for vaccine (27.4%), and doctor did not recommend vaccine (27.3%). Conclusion: Although young women reported high awareness of HPV vaccines, low-income and uninsured women reported lower levels of awareness. Even with higher rates of HPV vaccination in 2011 there continues to be a need for educational materials on HPV and HPV vaccination, containing information that addresses potential barriers to vaccination to improve awareness and vaccine coverage.