In a study reported in JAMA Network Open, Sonawane et al found that no increase in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among young adults was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, contrary to the increased rates observed prior to the pandemic.
Study Details
The study involved data from participants aged 18 to 26 years in the 2018, 2019, and 2022 National Health Interview Survey. A total of 2,159 participants (50.5% female, 49.5% male, 23.0% Hispanic, 12.9% Black, 53.4% White, 10.7% other race/ethnicity) with HPV vaccination information were identified in 2022. Vaccine coverage was defined as receipt of one or more doses of the HPV vaccine before age 27.
Key Findings
In the entire cohort, 47.4% of participants reported receiving one or more vaccine doses. Whereas the HPV vaccination rate increased from 39.9% in 2018 to 47.0% in 2019 (P < .001), no significant change in the vaccine rate was observed from 2019 to 2022 (P = .790).
In 2022, more females than males were vaccinated (57.2% vs 37.3%, P < .001). Vaccine coverage among Hispanic, Black, and other race/ethnicity participants was similar to coverage among White participants.
Coverage was higher among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual orientation group vs heterosexual females (70.6% vs 53.6%, P < .001) and higher among the gay, bisexual, and other sexual orientation group vs heterosexual males (52.7% vs 36.2%, P = .02).
Compared with insured participants, coverage was lower among uninsured participants, including 33.9% vs 60.6% (P < .001) among females and 20.0% vs 40.9% (P < .001) among males.
Compared with participants with a high school or lower educational level, coverage was higher among participants with an associate or bachelor’s degree, including 68.2% vs 43.7% (P < .001) among females and 43.7% vs 29.5% (P < .001) among males.
No significant differences in coverage were observed by region or urbanicity.
The investigators concluded, “The results of this study suggest that HPV vaccination coverage among young adults did not increase during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with prior years…. This finding likely reflects pandemic-related disruptions in initiating the HPV vaccine among young adults.”
Kalyani Sonawane, PhD, of the Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, is the corresponding author for the JAMA Network Open article.
Disclosure: This study was supported by grants from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities and the National Institutes of Health. For full disclosures of the study authors, visit jamanetwork.com.
