ABSTRACT
Background: It was to understand HPV vaccination patterns, uptake, perceptions, and sexual risk factors in students at a Midwest public university. Participants: Students were enrolled during the spring 2024 semester at the University of Iowa. Methods: A survey was developed and emailed to 28,095 students asking demographic, general and sexual health, and HPV-related questions. Results: The response rate was 4.9%, with 76% females and a median age of 22. The HPV vaccine uptake was 82%, with 88% recommending the vaccine. Parental preference was the main reason for being unvaccinated. The median age of sexual debut was 17 years, with a median of 2 sexual partners. Vaccination was associated with female, health science, sexually active, and COVID-19/influenza vaccinated students. Conclusions: HPV vaccine uptake at University of Iowa students is higher than the national and Iowa averages. Increased education regarding HPV vaccination is still needed, particularly in males, those not having sex, and those not receiving other vaccines.
ABSTRACT
The human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Most HPV infections clear spontaneously within 2 years of infection; however, persistent infection can result in a wide array of diseases, ranging from genital warts to cancer. Most cases of cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers are due to HPV infection, with cervical cancer being one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide. Screening is available for HPV and cervical cancer, but is not available everywhere, particularly in lower-resource settings. HPV infection disproportionally affects individuals living with HIV, resulting in decreased clearance, increased development of cancer, and increased mortality. The development of the HPV vaccine has shown a drastic decrease in HPV-related diseases. The vaccine prevents cervical cancer with near 100% efficacy, if given prior to first sexual activity. Vaccination uptake remains low worldwide due to a lack of access and limited knowledge of HPV. Increasing awareness of HPV and access to vaccination are necessary to decrease cancer and HPV-related morbidity and mortality worldwide.