CDC data suggests attitudes are shifting about the HPV vaccine: Utah vaccine rates among teens increased more than 16%
Mandy Murry's life should have been full of possibilities, but instead she was faced with a devastating diagnosis. Murry was 22 when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. To treat it, she had her cervix and uterus removed. Her doctor believes the human papillomavirus caused her cancer (HPV).
"I was expected to have that 'happily ever after' story of having my own kids," says Murry, 41, of Utah, who now lives in North Carolina. "I was unprepared for the extent of healing required following surgery. I felt 'less than' without a uterus. I didn't believe I deserved to be happy. I did not select HPV. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it was given to me. Because the vaccine did not exist when I was younger, this could have been avoided."
HPV is a family of more than 200 viruses, 40 of which are transmitted through direct sexual contact. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection and is responsible for nearly all cervical cancers, as well as five other types of cancer: vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile, and oropharyngeal (cancers of the throat and mouth). HPV vaccines, which are administered in a series of shots, protect against HPV infection and cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Utah has seen a 16.4% increase in this vaccine for young men and women ages 13-17 since 2020, despite being among the lowest in the country for adolescents adequately immunised against HPV (CDC). In terms of first-dose HPV vaccinations, the state jumped from 44th to 20th in the country.
"It's the highest increase I've ever seen in our state," says Deanna Kepka, Ph.D., MPH, a researcher at the University of Utah's Huntsman Cancer Institute and the director of the Intermountain West HPV Vaccination Coalition, a group of health care specialists and community members who have been working to improve HPV vaccination rates since 2012. According to Kepka, this demonstrates a shift in attitude toward the HPV vaccine, including an acceptance that people may have more than one sexual partner. "We're taking the right steps. The reality is that life happens. Regardless of religious affiliation, a large percentage of marriages end in divorce. It is best to shield children from the unexpected."
According to the CDC, more young men in Utah are getting the HPV vaccine, with a 19.7% increase since 2021. The agency also discovered that throat cancer has surpassed cervical cancer as the most common HPV-related cancer, emphasising the importance of vaccinating both young men and young women.
The CDC recommends that all children and adults aged 9 to 26 years be vaccinated against HPV; however, the American Cancer Society reports that the HPV vaccine is most effective between the ages of 9 and 12. "Kids have a stronger immune response," says Kepka Group programme manager Kaila Christini, MsPH, MS. "They are more likely to be protected if they received the vaccine at a young age."
Murry advises all parents to have their teenagers vaccinated against HPV. "In life, you never know what will happen. The vaccine does not grant permission to engage in sexual activity. It can literally protect you from cancer "she claims
According to Shay Bilinski, the American Cancer Society's senior director of cancer support strategic partnerships, "There is still work to be done. Vaccinating your child against HPV is a gift of cancer prevention. Don't be afraid to give that gift."
Most private insurance plans cover HPV vaccination. The Utah Vaccines for Children Program offers vaccines at no or low cost to children up to the age of 18 who are on Medicaid, CHIP, uninsured, or underinsured.
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