HPV and it's Controversal Vaccine

The Human Papillomavirus
Retrieved from http://iahealth.net/human-papillomavirus-hpv/

            The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can infect the genitals, mouth and throat of males and females. It can be past through genital contact by an infected person who may not display any signs or symptoms of the infection. This virus has been associated with several types of cancers; the most common HPV-associated cancer is cervical cancer in which almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. Other related cancers are vulvar, vaginal, penile, oropharyngeal and anal according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2013). Since 2006, the HPV vaccine has been available in the United States, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has been recommending that preteen girls and boys receive the three dose vaccine since shortly after it’s release date seven years ago (CDC, 2013).

            So why has this vaccine that protects against an STI, cervical cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in women globally, and other cancers become such a debatable topic in the U.S. recently? Is it because it involves thinking about sex and pre-teen children, or because certain states are trying to require it for their pre-teens? It is likely due to both of those reasons and many more. The CDC (2013) recommends that girls and boys ages eleven or twelve receive the vaccine but females may receive the vaccine up until the age of twenty-six and males up until the age of twenty-one. The starting age of the vaccine was selected because it comes around the time parents start having the “birds and the bees” talk.

Fear around HPV vaccine
Retrieved from http://www.webpronews.com/
hpv-vaccine-adoption-stagnating-says-cdc-2013-07

           National Public Radio (2013) spoke about the HPV controversy and had a mom of an eleven-year-old girl talk about how she was shocked when her pediatrician suggested the vaccine especially since her daughter was not sexually active. When pondering her reaction she stated she realized it was likely due to thinking about her daughter becoming sexual active and had really nothing to do with the vaccine itself. For those who think eleven or twelve year olds are years away from sexual activity, think again. Studies have shown that within the United States alone seven percent of children before age thirteen have engaged in sexual intercourse and by the age of fifteen that percent is up to twenty-five percent (Brown and Ransohoff, 2013). Therefore, in order to protect against this STI and cervical cancer the vaccine must be given prior to the start of sexual activity.

            One issue that has came up when addressing the HPV vaccine with parents of pre-teens is their fear that their pre-teens may become sexually active after the vaccine, as if the vaccine provides a free go ahead to have sex. Bednarczyk, Davis, Ault, Orenstein and Omer (2012) researched whether or not giving the HPV vaccination to preteen girls lead to an increase in sexual activity. Their study looked at these direct fears of parents and found that the “HPV vaccination in the recommended ages was not associated with increased sexual activity–related outcome rates” (p. 803). However, if parents do choose to have their child vaccinated, than it is recommended that they start the talk about sex beginning with stating their values and the importance of having protected sex.

            As nurses, we are in a prime position to educate preteens and parents on this topic. Listening to the media, friends and other influences can cause people to become misinformed and as trusted, health educators nurses can provide unbiased information about the human papillomavirus and the vaccine. It is also important to talk to parents about the importance of getting their child vaccinated long before they become sexually active as well educating their pre-teens on safe sex.