Study pinpoints factors linked to HPV vaccine series completion among teens

Individual- and community-level factors, such as age and travel distance to the clinic, among others, exert influence on the completion of human papillomavirus two-dose vaccine series among adolescents, according to a study.

Researchers assessed two-dose vaccine series completion in a cohort of adolescents initiating vaccination in 2017. In total, 64.4 percent of adolescents completed the two-dose vaccine series and 53.8 percent completed it timely (eg, 14 months).

The odds of series completion were higher among adolescents who were younger at vaccine initiation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.94, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.50–2.50), those who travelled moderate distances to the clinic (aOR, 1.62, 95 percent CI, 1.03–2.56), and those who lived in low-deprivation neighbourhoods (aOR, 1.85, 95 percent CI, 1.31–2.60).

In contrast, series completion was less likely among Hispanic (aOR, 0.62, 95 percent CI, 0.45–0.87) and non-Hispanic Black (aOR, 0.66, 95 percent CI, 0.54–0.81) adolescents, and among those without private insurance (aOR, 0.68, 95 percent CI, 0.56–0.83).

Findings for timely series completion were similar, with the odds being lower among Hispanic (aOR, 0.63, 95 percent CI, 0.43–0.95) and non-Hispanic Black (aOR, 0.68, 95 percent CI, 0.50–0.92) adolescents relative to non-Hispanic other adolescents.

More studies are required to clarify racial/ethnic and regional disparities in human papillomavirus vaccine series completion and to develop interventions to promote series completion.