The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major public health concern affecting
both females and males. HPV is associated with cervical, anal, head and neck
cancers. About 99% of all cervical cancers are related to HPV. HPV
vaccines, Gardasil, Cervarix, and Gardasil 9 are used in the primary prevention
of HPV related cancers. Gardasil and Gardasil 9 are available for use in both
females and males ages 9 to 26, while Cervarix is available for females ages 9
to 25. Gardasil 9 was approved by the FDA for prevention against additional HPV
types. Despite the availability of this preventative measure against cervical
cancer, the rate of HPV vaccination in the United States remains lower than that
of other industrialized nations. The purpose of this study is to elucidate
mechanisms to help increase the HPV vaccination rate by using education as a
tool; by simplifying the president report so that lay person can understand the
information presented in the report. Through the quantitative examination of the
data from the states with the lowest and highest vaccination rates, using SPSS
statistical analysis; we analyzed several factors involved with the low uptake
of the vaccines. The results collected show that socioeconomic status,
misconceptions about HPV, and misconceptions about the safety of the vaccines
were identified as possible obstacles to the effective uptake of HPV
vaccinations. The proposals made by the President’s Cancer Panel to
accelerate the uptake of vaccines include, increasing coverage of the vaccines
through government-sponsored programs, and the Affordable Care Act; increasing
accessibility to vaccines through pharmacies, schools, and clinics; and
disseminating more information on HPV to healthcare providers, parents,
caregivers, and patients. Allowing greater accessibility to the vaccines for all
populations regardless of income, education, and eliminating misconceptions of
the vaccines would play a significant role in eliminating cancer.
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