Adolescent HPV vaccination rates: Data from California Health Interview Survey

Cervical cancer morbidity and mortality disproportionally affect minority and low socioeconomic status populations who underuse the Pap test. Appropriate uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could reduce disparities. Little is known about adolescent HPV vaccine use and determinants of uptake. We used the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2007) to examine HPV vaccine use among adolescent girls 13-17 years old. Use was defined as having at least one shot. Data from adolescent respondents (n = 1,815) and parents of age-eligible daughters (n = 5,729) were gathered to identify determinants of vaccine use. About 26% of 13-17 year old girls living in California had initiated the three-dose series and 11% completed the series. Having a usual source of health care, reporting a household income 300% above the poverty level, and hearing about HPV from a healthcare provider were all independently associated with vaccine use. Race/ethnicity, family type (single vs. married parents), Medi-Cal status, and place of residence (urban vs. rural) were not associated with use. HPV vaccine use in California parallels nationwide estimates reported by the 2007 National Immunization Survey-Teen. This study is the first to report population-based correlates of vaccine use for a single state and showed that typical demographic and healthcare access factors independently associated with disparities were not found for this health behavior. These findings may be due to availability of the HPV vaccine at low cost through the Vaccine for Children program. Trend analysis using future CHIS data is necessary to confirm this correlate pattern.