Effective Dual Method Contraceptive Use During First Sexual Intercourse and HPV Vaccination among U.S. Adolescent and Young Adult Females

BACKGROUND: Problem Behavior Theory posits that risky behaviors cluster in individuals, implying that protective behaviors may follow a similar pattern. Accordingly, the purpose of this analysis was to determine if the protective behavior of effective dual method contraception use at first sexual intercourse is associated with HPV vaccination among adolescent and young adult females.

METHODS: National Survey of Family Growth (2006-2010) data was used to examine the association between use of contraception during a woman’s first sexual intercourse and HPV vaccination. Women aged 15-24 years (n=2,691) served as the study sample.

FINDINGS: Overall, effective dual method contraception use during first sexual intercourse was reported by 10.1% of women; 28.6% reported receiving at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. Among women that used effective dual methods, 58.1% of girls ages 15-19 and 24.9% of women ages 20-24 reported receiving at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. Higher HPV vaccination rates among dual method users remained statistically significant for the adolescent age group in adjusted models.

CONCLUSIONS: Respectively, effective dual method contraception use during first sexual intercourse and HPV vaccination are low among adolescent and young adult females. However, this analysis supports the inverse tenet of Problem Behavior Theory wherein the protective behavior of dual method contraceptive use at first sexual intercourse may serve as a predictor of another complementary health behavior, HPV vaccination, particularly among adolescent females. Healthcare providers and parents may consider conversations about each of these individual behaviors as a teachable moment for the other health behavior.