Sexual Health News - Women’s Sexual Health

School-based interventions may improve the rate of HPV vaccination

By Lisa Oldson, MD May. 07, 2012
The safety and efficacy of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are relatively well-established, but problems remain in getting people to actually sit down for the shot. Now, researchers suggest that school health centers may help increase the rates of inoculation for HPV and other diseases.

A team of scientists from the University of Colorado's School of Medicine conducted a study in which they offered vaccinations to 265 females and 264 male students in schools in and around Denver.

They discovered that offering the inoculation at schools resulted in a 77 percent vaccination rate for girls and a 66 percent rate for boys. Some of the girls were offered the HPV vaccination, which may help them maintain sexual health as they age.

"While new vaccines targeted for adolescents certainly hold great promise, they also face certain challenges," said lead author Allison Kempe, M.D. "Adolescents are an age group that is less likely to access health care and only 9 percent of all healthcare visits by adolescents are for preventative care."

The researchers noted that these school-based interventions may be especially helpful in low-income areas where many kids are not insured.
 
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