Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination Among Female Patients Attending French Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Centers.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To describe human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination practice among adolescent girls with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to identify reasons for non-vaccination.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional multicentric study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Girls aged 9-17 years, attending 7 French pediatric CF centers, and their accompanying adult.

INTERVENTIONS

Administration of a self-report questionnaire.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The proportion of girls having received or receiving HPV vaccination, compliance with the vaccination schedule, factors associated with vaccination, and reasons for vaccination and for non-vaccination.

RESULTS

A total of 113 girls and 104 accompanying adults participated. The mean age was 13.6 years (standard deviation 2.5; range 9-17). A total of 34 (30.9%) patients reported having received HPV vaccination. Among the 34 girls aged 15 years or older, 15 (44.1%) were vaccinated. Most patients (58.8%) started vaccination between 11 and 14 years of age (mean age 13.9). Most vaccine prescriptions (67.6%) were made by a CF center health care provider. Factors associated with vaccination were older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.6, P = .037 for each year older), previous vaccination by the accompanying parent of one of their children for hepatitis B (OR = 8.01, 95% CI = 0.96-67.02), P = .055), and parental influence on decision-making (OR = 2.77, 95% CI = 0.97-7.95, P = .058). Health care providers' positive advice and fear of HPV-related disease were the main reasons given to justify vaccination decisions. Insufficient knowledge and concerns about potential side effects were the main barriers.

CONCLUSION

HPV vaccination remains insufficient among girls with CF. CF health care providers may play a crucial role in HPV vaccination acceptance, and their sensitization to cervical cancer prevention is mandatory.