Assessing HPV Vaccination Trends and Their Alignment with Evolving Recommendations

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Vaccinology
• Cancer Prevention

Background:

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination recommendations have evolved since 2006, expanding to include both sexes and a wider age range.
• Rising rates of HPV-related head and neck cancers underscore the importance of vaccination in older males and females.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze HPV vaccination trends from 2007 to 2023.
• To identify opportunities for increasing HPV vaccine awareness and uptake.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study analyzed 19.6 million HPV vaccinations administered in US hospitals and clinics.
• Data from the Epic Cosmos national database were stratified by year, patient demographics (age 9-45), and provider specialty.

Main Results:

• HPV vaccinations increased significantly in males aged 9-21 following updated recommendations in 2009.
• Despite broadened indications and increased male participation, total HPV vaccinations declined by 47.1% from 2016 to 2023 in patients aged 9-26.
• Vaccine administration shifted from predominantly pediatrics to a more diverse provider landscape, including family medicine and OBGYN.

Conclusions:

• Current HPV vaccination guidelines have yielded inconsistent results, with a notable decrease in uptake among target populations since 2016.
• While males now contribute equally to pediatric HPV vaccinations, their participation in adult vaccinations remains lower.
• Disparities and discordance with guidelines may stem from outdated, gendered education and marketing approaches.