[HPV prophylactic vaccine coverage and factors impacting its practice among students and high school students in...

To assess the coverage of HPV vaccine among young women from Marseilles' area and factors influencing the probability of this vaccination.

An anonymous survey was conducted among 2124 high school and university students from Marseilles' area, France from December 2011 to May 2012.

Mean age of participants was 20.4years (±SD: 3.3). Only 41.6% participants reported being vaccinated against HPV, of whom 768 (93.3) had completed the 3 injections scheme. Among non-vaccinated respondents, 33.6% acknowledged they would accept a catch-up vaccination. Factors influencing the probability of being vaccinated were young age (AOR: 0.728; 95% CI: 0.681-0.779; P<0.001), socioeconomic and/or education level of parents (AOR: 1.324; 95% CI: 1.006-1.742; P=0.045), information about vaccination (AOR: 24.279; 95% CI: 5.417-108.82; P<0.001) and having a general practitioner (GP) favourable to vaccination (AOR: 68.776; 95% CI: 34.511-137.061; P<0.001). Factors influencing the probability to accept a catch-up vaccination were age (AOR: 1.059; 95% CI: 1.001-1.120; P=0.046), socioeconomic and/or education level of parents (AOR: 1.637; 95% CI: 1.198-2.237; P=0.002) and having a GP favourable to vaccination (AOR: 4.381; 95% CI: 2.978-6.445; P<0.001). Only 35.5% of respondents were aware that screening remains necessary following HPV vaccination.

The coverage of HPV vaccine among young women from Marseilles' area is insufficient. Factors influencing the probability of being vaccinated against HPV are age, socioeconomic and/or education level of parents and information regarding vaccination. GP plays a major role in the acceptance of HPV vaccine.