Only one third of teenage girls in the U.S. have received all three doses of the HPV vaccine - and few people understand its effectiveness against cancer, a new study has found.
Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey from 2012 to 2013 showed that 1,417 people were 'vaccine relevant' - but just 33 per cent of teen girls had received all three doses.
And even fewer boys - around 5 percent - have gotten vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, a virus which can cause cervical, anal and vulvar cancers, the study found.
Vaccine: A study has found that a third of teen girls have failed to have the full HPV vaccine. The injections against HPV are given to prevent a sexually transmitted infection that can cause cancer
The study, which was presented at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research on Saturday, also found that black, Hispanic and low-income women were less likely to have received it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends boys and girls aged 11 and 12 get the vaccine.
In addition, women up to 26 and men up to 21 who did not receive the vaccine earlier in life are recommended to receive it. This puts the 'vaccine relevant' group between the ages of nine and 27.
But the target group is also largely unaware of its effectiveness, the study round.
Of the 3,551 adults who were part of the survey, 70 per cent said they were unsure of how well the vaccine prevented cervical cancer and only 25 per cent said they'd talked to a health care provider about the vaccine.
'Although human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination has been available for seven years, uptake remains low, and evidence suggests disparities exist in vaccination completion,' said the authors of this study led by Kassandra I. Alcaraz, PhD, MPH.
Protection: The study also found that 70 per cent of people were unsure how effective the vaccine was
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS: THE STD NEARLY EVERY ONE WILL GET
HPV - or the human papillomavirus - is the most common sexually transmitted infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Anyone who has ever had sex can get the virus and it's so common that nearly all sexually-active men and women get it at some point in their lives. It can be passed through sex and oral sex, as well as genital contact, and most people do not even realize they have it.
There are many different types of HPV and while most infections go away without issue, some can lead to serious problems such as genital warts or cervical cancer. There is no certain way to tell who will develop health problems from HPV and who will not.
Around 12,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed every year, with about 4,000 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.
Pre-teens, teenagers and young people can receive Cervarix and Gardasil, which protect against cervical cancer. Gardasil also protects against genital warts and anal, vaginal and vulval cancers.
'Perceptions about the HPV vaccine may be contributing to these trends.
'This uncertainty may influence decision-making about getting vaccinated, and it hinders our ability to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality and reduce disparities in cervical cancer.'
Researchers added that non-Hispanic black respondents were the least likely to have confidence in the vaccine's effectiveness - just only 18.6 per cent said they had confidence in it.
In addition, the chances of discussing the injection with a healthcare provider varied depending on education level; 34 per cent of college graduates said they talked to a provider about the vaccine, compared to 21 per cent of those with less than a high school education.
The study added: 'Findings suggest HPV communication and messages need refinement to clearly highlight vaccine efficacy, and targeted strategies may be needed to reach non-Hispanic Blacks and individuals with lower levels of education.'
Girls can receive either Cervarix or Gardasil, while boys only receive Gardasil. For its effectiveness, three doses are administered.
The three-shot series costs around $400 and insurance plans typically cover them, according the CDC. A federally funded Vaccines for Children program also offers help to those eligible.
Around 12,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed every year, with about 4,000 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. They can be detected by pap smears.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520776/Only-U-S-teen-girls-received-dose-HPV-vaccine-protects-cancer.html#ixzz2n1PMbeH4
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