Awareness of human papillomavirus and reported human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in a high-risk population

Trisha L Amboree; Jane R Montealegre; Paige Padgett Wermuth; Osaro Mgbere; Kayo Fujimoto; Charles Darkoh

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101853

Awareness of human papillomavirus and reported human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in a high-risk population

Prev Med Rep. 2022 Jun 10:28:101853. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101853. eCollection 2022 Aug.

Authors

Trisha L Amboree^{1

2}, Jane R Montealegre^{3

4}, Paige Padgett Wermuth¹, Osaro Mgbere^{5

6}, Kayo Fujimoto⁷, Charles Darkoh^{2

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
² Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, Center for Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
³ Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
⁵ Disease Prevention and Control Division, Houston Health Department, Houston, TX, USA.
⁶ Institute of Community Health, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX, USA.
⁷ Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
⁸ Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Disparities in human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and HPV vaccine uptake are likely exacerbated among racial/ethnic minority populations living in low-income areas. This study aims to determine the prevalence and correlates of HPV awareness and HPV vaccine uptake in an urban, low-income, racial/ethnic minority population.

Methods: Secondary data analyses were performed in 2021 using 380 participants aged 18-45 years from the 2019 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance for high-risk heterosexuals, which monitors HIV risk behaviors among individuals living in high-poverty, high HIV prevalence neighborhoods. Prevalence estimates and modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the relationship between HPV awareness and HPV vaccine uptake, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: Only 53% of participants had heard of HPV and 11.5% had received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. Those who were female, non-Hispanic White or other, had public health insurance, lived above the federal poverty level, had experienced homelessness and incarceration, and had usual source of healthcare showed higher awareness of HPV while those who were younger, female, non-Hispanic White or other, recently incarcerated, had a usual source of healthcare, and had a healthcare encounter in the past year showed higher prevalence of HPV vaccine uptake.

Conclusions: Prevalence of HPV vaccination in this high-risk population was low and there was a lack of preventive care utilization. Further research is needed on how to effectively target these populations to not only increase vaccine uptake, but to mitigate barriers that contribute to low awareness and suboptimal vaccination uptake in high-risk heterosexual populations.

Keywords: HPV; HPV prevention; HPV vaccination; Health disparities; Human papillomavirus.

Abstract

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