Three-year questionnaire study on human papillomavirus vaccination targeting new female college school students: Follow-up to a 2021 report to reveal the impact of a policy change in Japan.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to examine the trend in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in Japan before and after a policy change in 2022, involving resumption of active recommendation and start of catch-up vaccination.

METHODS

From 2021 to 2023, a web-based questionnaire survey was administered to newly enrolled female college students in Yokohama, Japan. The questionnaire included items such as age, HPV vaccination status, HPV vaccine awareness, and awareness of catch-up vaccination. We compared knowledge about the HPV vaccine and cervical cancer in 2021 and 2023, before and after resumption of the national vaccination program.

RESULTS

The HPV vaccination rates were 5.4% in 2021, 7.5% in 2022, and 35.3% in 2023, with a significant upward trend (p < 0.001). A similar upward trend was observed for HPV vaccine awareness (p < 0.001). Comparing 2022 and 2023 after the start of catch-up vaccination, there was no significant difference in awareness of catch-up vaccination (p = 0.669), but there was a significant increase in awareness of free vaccination tickets (p < 0.001). After resumption of the national vaccination program with adoption of the catch-up vaccination program, there was no difference in knowledge of cervical cancer, but there was a difference in knowledge of the HPV vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the HPV vaccination rate has increased after the policy change, it has not recovered to the level before the suspension of active recommendation. It is important for healthcare providers and school educators to actively communicate the safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine.