Human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and vaccination initiation among women in the United States, National Immunization Survey—Adult 2007

ObjectivesTo report awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine among women aged 18–49 years and, for recommended women aged 18–26 years, estimate initiation of HPV vaccination and describe factors associated with vaccination initiation among a national sample.MethodsData were analyzed from the National Immunization Survey—Adult, a nationally representative telephone survey conducted May–August 2007. Questions were asked about awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine and vaccine receipt.ResultsA total of 1102 women aged 18–49 years were interviewed, 168 were aged 18–26 years. Overall, awareness of HPV (84.3%) and of HPV vaccine (78.9%) were high. Among women 18–26 years of age, vaccination initiation (≥ 1 dose) was 10%. Factors associated with vaccination included not being married, living ≥ 200% of the federal poverty index, having health insurance, and vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine. HPV vaccination initiation among women aged 27–49 years was 1%.ConclusionsAwareness of HPV and HPV vaccine were high. Two to 5 months after national HPV vaccination recommendations were published, one in ten women 18–26 years old had initiated the HPV vaccine series. Women at a higher socio-economic level were more likely to receive the vaccination. Vaccination initiation and completion will likely increase over the next years. Monitoring uptake is important to identify sub-groups that may not be receiving the vaccination.