OBJECTIVES:

Cervical cancer and Human papillomavirus (HPV) affects women, men and children of all races, ethnicity and backgrounds. The objective of this study is to examine the association between adolescent (13–17years) HPV vaccination uptake and the key factors influencing the uptake rates of HPV vaccination.

METHODS:

The 2016 NIS-Teen data, an annual survey conducted by the CDC to monitor vaccination uptake in the United States is used for this study. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between various factors and HPV vaccine uptake.

RESULTS:

Male adolescents were 0.26 times less likely to get the HPV vaccines; adolescents covered by private health insurance were 0.18 times less likely to get HPV vaccines; Hispanic adolescents were 1.47 times more likely, adolescents from other races including Asians were 1.75 times more likely to get vaccinated for HPV compared to non-Hispanic white adolescents. Adolescents from the low-income families were 1.21 times more likely to get vaccinated for HPV; adolescents from North-eastern regions of the United States were 1.62 times more likely to get vaccinated; adolescents who are not recommended for vaccination by the family physicians were 0.43 times less likely to get HPV vaccination; adolescents who did not have any safety concerns and concerns about side effects were 3.24 times more likely to get the HPV vaccine; adolescents from households that did have not orthodox religious beliefs were 13.67 times more likely to get vaccinated.

CONCLUSIONS:

Given the low HPV vaccination rates for adolescents in the US, these results provide important evidence to inform public health interventions to increase HPV vaccination among the target groups which are less likely to get vaccinated. Also, knowing the socio-demographic and community level factors associated with HPV vaccination uptake status, health planners can better plan strategies to improve HPV vaccination in their local settings.