Exploring the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and HPV vaccination in a national sample of adults

Over 60 % of U.S. adults report adverse childhood experience (ACE), which correlate with risky health behaviors and lower utilization of healthcare preventive measures, potentially leading to chronic diseases in later life.

This study investigates the relationship between ACEs and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in a national U.S. adult sample.

We used data from selected states from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System collected in years 2019 (Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee), 2020 (Georgia, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina), 2021 (Mississippi), and 2022 (Arkansas) (N = 3578, 4392, 904, and 810, respectively).

We conducted descriptive, univariate, and multivariable regression analysis using SAS 9.4. Independent and dependent variables were ACEs and HPV vaccination, respectively.

Individuals with ≥4 ACEs, versus no ACEs, were significantly more likely to report HPV vaccination in 2019, 2020, and 2021 (OR = 1.40, 1.77, 2.80, all p < 0.05 respectively), except in 2022 (OR = 1.54, p = 0.165). In 2019, specific ACE types, emotional abuse, and household mental illness were associated with HPV vaccination, whereas in 2021, emotional abuse, household mental illness, incarcerated household member, and substance abuse in household, and in 2022, emotional abuse was associated with HPV vaccination.

We found mostly positive association between ACEs and HPV vaccination, particularly in initial three years. However, findings in 2022 were not significant, except for emotional abuse. Diverse patterns in relationship between ACEs and HPV vaccination was observed overtime, highlighting the need for consistency in ACEs and HPV vaccination data collection, including vaccination timing, to better understand the underlying mechanisms and plan for interventions to prevent HPV-related cancers among these populations.