SCIENTIFIC
HPV Vaccination Status Does Not Predict COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake Among a Cohort of West Virginian Adolescents
AUTHORS: Laurel Thomas MD 1
Hannah Hudson 2 Annabella Pauley 2 Morgan Ruley 1 Jodi Plumley MD 3 Jennie Yoost MD, MSc 1
AFFILIATIONS:
1
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Huntington, WV
2
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Huntington, WV
3
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Huntington, WV
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Jennie Yoost MD, MSc yoost @ marshall. edu
DISCLOSURES: None
ETHICS STATEMENT:
This study was approved by the Marshall University Institutional Review Board( protocol # 1909539).
FUNDING: None
INTRODUCTION
In the United States, vaccine requirements for school attendance and conditions for exemptions are set by the individual states and local jurisdictions. 1 West Virginia( WV) is one of only five states that does not grant religious or philosophical exemptions to these school mandated vaccinations. 2 Vaccines such as tetanus-diphtheriapertussis( Tdap) and the meningococcal
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
There are similar misconceptions surrounding both human papillomavirus( HPV-9) and coronavirus( COVID-19) vaccinations, including vaccine development, side effects, and impact on fertility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a large cohort of West Virginia( WV) adolescents to determine if patients who did not receive the HPV-9 vaccination were less likely to also receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A retrospective chart review was conducted among subjects aged 13-16 years presenting to Marshall Health Department of Pediatrics between May 2021 and June 2022 for either a well child or immunization visit. Data were obtained on vaccine uptake of HPV-9 and COVID-19 along with tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis( Tdap) and the meningococcal vaccine( MenACWY).
vaccine( MenACWY) are required for school attendance and have high rates of compliance at both the state and national level. Nationally among 13-17-year-old adolescents, Tdap rates are 89.9 % and MenACWY rates are 88.6 %. 3 The rates of compliance for both of these mandated vaccines in WV are similar. 4
The 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine( HPV-9) is not part of the mandated school requirement, and thus compliance rates lag in both state and national levels. Most recent reports demonstrate that, nationwide, 76 % of adolescents aged 13-17 years have received one dose of HPV-9 and 62.6 % have completed the series. 3 The rates in WV fall short of these numbers as only 60.9 % of adolescents have received the first dose of the HPV-9 vaccine and 43.9 % have completed the series. 4
The COVID-19 vaccine, which was FDA approved for children over the age of 12 years in May 2021, is also not mandated. 5 Among adolescents, compliance is lower on both
RESULTS
A total of 1,484 subjects were included and completion rates of HPV-9, COVID-19, Tdap, and MenACWY were 70.1 %, 54.2 %, 96.6 %, and 97.5 %, respectively. COVID-19 vaccination rates were not significantly different among subjects who did and did not receive the HPV-9 vaccine( 45.3 % vs. 47.1 %, p = 0.52). When evaluating subjects who did not receive any HPV-9 vaccination, there were more females than males who also did not receive the COVID-19 vaccination( 44.4 % vs. 33.8 %, p = 0.068).
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that there is not an observed difference between HPV-9 and COVID-19 vaccination, but other individualized factors may impact a patient’ s decision to receive these vaccines.
the state and national level compared to other vaccines. Nationwide in 2021, 42.4 % of adolescents aged 12-17 years received at least one COVID-19 vaccination, compared to only 30.2 % of adolescents in the same age group in WV. 6
There are similar misconceptions about both the HPV-9 and COVID-19 vaccines regarding their development and side effect profile. Common misconceptions about both vaccines are that they have not been properly tested, have dangerous side effects, or cause infertility. 7-9 The lack of understanding of how vaccine technology works is also similar, with parents perceiving the HPV-9 vaccine is only for adolescents who are sexually active, and the COVID-19 vaccine is not needed after being infected with the virus. 10-12
Given the similar misconceptions surrounding both HPV-9 and COVID-19 vaccines, this study sought to determine whether patients who declined one of these vaccines were likely to decline the other.
24 • www. wvsma. org