Factors Associated with Human Papillomavirus Vaccination among Women in the United States.

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States (US). HPV vaccines have the ability to prevent infection with HPV. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with HPV vaccination among women in the US.

METHODS

Data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to assess predictors of HPV vaccination. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Analyses were conducted using SAS Version 9.4.

RESULTS

Factors that decreased the likelihood of receiving HPV vaccination included: being between the ages of 27-50 (AOR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.06-0.11), having some college education, and residing in the South Black Belt States (AOR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.31-0.78), Midwest (AOR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.44-0.90), and the West (AOR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.15-0.95). Factors that decreased the likelihood of receiving HPV vaccination to completion included: being Non-Hispanic Black (AOR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.11-0.64), Hispanic (AOR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.10-0.68), between the ages of 27-50 years (AOR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.26-0.84), and residing in the Midwest (AOR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.18-0.73) and South Remainder (non- Black Belt) states (AOR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.09-0.93).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that sociodemographic disparities still exist in more recent data underscoring the urgent need for additional efforts to increase HPV vaccination in populations that are least likely to receive the vaccination.