Human Papillomavirus Immunisation Programme Research Articles

Prevalence of HPV infection among Thai schoolgirls in the north-eastern provinces in 2018: implications for HPV immunization policy

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-risk (HR) and vaccine-type human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among Thai schoolgirls who were not included in the national HPV immunization program. MethodsCross-sectional surveys were conducted among grade 10 (15–16 years old) and grade 12 (17–18 years old) schoolgirls in two provinces of Thailand. Urine samples were collected using the Colli-PeeⓇ device from November 2018 to February 2019. The samples were initially tested using CobasⓇ 4800. Subsequently, all Cobas-positive samples and 1:1 matched Cobas-negative samples were tested by AnyplexⓇ assay. Prevalences of any HPV, any HR HPV, vaccine-type HPV, and individual HR HPV types were estimated by school grade. ResultsPrevalences of any HPV and any HR HPV were 11.6% and 8.6% for grade 10, and 18.5% and 12.4% for grade 12 schoolgirls, respectively. Prevalences of bivalent vaccine-type HPV infection in grades 10 and 12 were 3.4% and 4.5%, respectively. Prevalences of quadrivalent and nonavalent vaccine-type HPV infections were 4.0%/6.6% and 6.4%/10.4% in grades 10 and 12, respectively. HPV16 was the most common type detected, followed by HPV58, 51, and 52. Circulating HR HPV types were similar between the school grades. ConclusionA substantial burden of HR HPV infections was found among unvaccinated high school girls in Thailand.

Assessment of Acceptability and Determinants of Uptake and Schedule Completion of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine by 25 to 45 Years Old Women in Slovenia.

HPV immunization programs are mainly focused on girls and boys, but adult women and men could also benefit from vaccination. A multinational CoheaHr-WP4 study investigated the acceptability of HPV vaccination among 25-45 years old women. A total of 607 women from Slovenia participated in the study, and 49.6% (301/607) agreed with HPV vaccination, with a significant difference (p < 0.0001) between the two centers. Non-vaccinated women had a higher education (p = 0.0068) and were more frequently in a committed relationship or married (p = 0.01). The most trusted source of medical and vaccination information was healthcare providers (55.2%). The main reasons for vaccine acceptance were protection against HPV-related disease (93.4%), severity of preventable diseases (82.7%), HPV vaccine safety (66.8%), free HPV vaccine availability (62.8%), and the existence of vaccination recommendations (55.5%). The main reasons for refusing vaccination were the need for additional vaccine-related information (31.4%) and vaccine safety concerns (29.4%). To increase vaccine coverage, information about the benefits and safety of HPV vaccination must be widely disseminated to all health professionals and the general public. We are convinced that the knowledge obtained in this study can be reliably applied to other countries in the region that lack such information and have a very high cervical cancer burden.

HPV and Cervical Cancer: A Review of Epidemiology and Screening Uptake in the UK.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in females worldwide, and a leading cause of death in the United Kingdom (UK). The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the strongest risk factor for developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer. Across the UK, the national HPV immunisation programme, introduced in 2008, has been successful in protecting against HPV-related infections. Furthermore, the National Health Service (NHS) implemented the cytology-based cervical cancer screening service to all females aged 25 to 64, which has observed a decline in cervical cancer incidence. In the UK, there has been an overall decline in age-appropriate coverage since April 2010. In 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted NHS cancer screening and immunisation programmes, leading to a 6.8% decreased uptake of cervical cancer screening from the previous year. Engagement with screening has also been associated with social deprivation. In England, incidence rates of cervical cancer were reported to be 65% higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least, with lifestyle factors such as cigarette consumption contributing to 21% of cervical cancer cases. In this article, we provide an update on the epidemiology of cervical cancer, and HPV pathogenesis and transmission, along with the current prevention programmes within the NHS.

Factors influencing human papillomavirus school-based immunization in Alberta: A mixed-methods study protocol.

More than 1,300 Canadians are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, which is nearly preventable through human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization. Across Canada, coverage rates remain below the 90% target set out by the Action Plan for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Canada (2020-2030). To support this Plan, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer has commissioned the Urban Public Health Network (UPHN) to coordinate a quality improvement project with Canada's school-based HPV immunization programs. In Alberta, the UPHN partnered with Alberta Health Services (AHS) for this work. This study has one overarching research question: what are parent/guardian and program stakeholder perceived barriers, enablers and opportunities to immunization for youth as part of the school-based HPV immunization program in Alberta? This study uses a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. A survey will be emailed to a sample of Albertans with children aged 11-17 years. Questions will be based on a Conceptual Framework of Access to Health Care. Subsequent qualitative work will explore the survey's findings. Parents/guardians identifying as vaccine hesitant in the survey will be invited to participate in virtual, semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Stakeholders of the school-based immunization program will be purposively sampled from AHS' five health zones for virtual focus groups. Quantitative data will be analyzed using SAS Studio 3.6 to carry out descriptive statistics and, using logistic regression, investigate if Framework constructs are associated with parents'/guardians' decision to immunize their children. Qualitative data will be analyzed using NVivo 12 to conduct template thematic analysis guided by the Framework. Study results will provide insights for Alberta's public health practitioners to make evidence-informed decisions when tailoring the school-based HPV immunization program to increase uptake in vaccine hesitant populations. Findings will contribute to the national study, which will culminate in recommendations to increase HPV immunization uptake nationally and progress towards the 90% coverage target.

Stated preferences for human papillomavirus vaccination for adolescents in selected communities in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria: A discrete choice experiment

ABSTRACT Administration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in early adolescence is effective in preventing cervical cancer, a common cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria is in the pre-introduction era of the HPV vaccine. Understanding the preferences of the population for the vaccine can help design the HPV immunization program to ensure high uptake of the vaccine. This study explored the preferences for the HPV vaccine among stakeholders in selected communities in Ibadan, Nigeria. A discrete choice experiment survey based on six attributes of the HPV vaccine (which were the number of doses, the efficacy of the vaccine, cost of the vaccine, location of the service point, other benefits of the vaccine apart from prevention of cervical cancer and the odds of a side effect from the vaccine) was carried out in five communities. Data were analyzed using conditional and mixed logit models. Seven hundred community members were recruited, 144 (20.7%) were adolescents and 248 (35.4%) were males. In line with expectations, respondents preferred vaccines with higher efficacy, less severe side effects and lower costs. Preference heterogeneity was identified for adolescents that were less price-sensitive and other community members who were less likely to prefer using schools as the service point. The high socioeconomic class preferred a vaccine that also prevents genital warts. There were variabilities in the preferences for the attributes of the HPV vaccine in the study communities. These variabilities need to be considered in the introduction of the HPV vaccine to ensure high uptake of the vaccine.

Challenges and lessons from a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for adolescent girls in a rural Nigerian community

BackgroundOver 80% of new cervical cancer cases occur in women living in low- and middle-income countries. It is the second highest cause of female cancer deaths in Nigeria. School based vaccination programs are an effective strategy for delivering the HPV vaccine to adolescent girls. This study aims to understand the challenges to implementing school-based HPV vaccination programs, particularly in a remote rural setting where vaccine hesitancy is high.MethodsA 22- item interviewer administered questionnaire was used to evaluate HPV knowledge and willingness to get the HPV vaccinate among 100 female secondary school students as part of an HPV vaccination pilot in a rural community in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were used to assess community knowledge and attitudes on cervical cancer and HPV vaccination. Data collected were analyzed thematically to understand challenges and generate lessons for vaccine delivery in the study setting.ResultsKnowledge of HPV and cervical cancer among junior secondary school aged girls was fair with a mean score of 66.05%. For senior secondary school aged girls, the knowledge score ranged from 70 to 100% with a mean of 96.25% indicating good knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer. All participants (n = 100) received the first vaccine dose but due to COVID-19, 33 participants were not able to complete the vaccine dosage within the recommended 6-month schedule. Of the parents who provided consent, none could afford the vaccine out of pocket. Challenges to vaccine delivery included operational costs exacerbated by lack of adequate health workforce and infrastructure in the study setting.ConclusionAn exploration of sociocultural perspectives and contextual realities is crucial to understanding the complexities of HPV vaccine introduction from the perspective of the target audience, and the local community. Strategies for introducing the HPV vaccine should address community concerns through effective communication, appropriate delivery, and targeted advocacy to make the vaccination program locally relevant. While school-based HPV immunization programs have been shown to be successful, adequate design, planning and monitoring is important. Additionally, considerations must be made to account for the high operational cost of vaccine delivery in rural, hard to reach areas where human resources and infrastructure are limited.

Modeling the transmission dynamics and vaccination strategies for human papillomavirus infection: An optimal control approach

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been introduced in several countries and have shown positive results in reducing HPV infection and related diseases. Nevertheless, immunization programs remain sub-optimal and more effort is needed to design efficient vaccination deployment. We formulate a two-sex deterministic mathematical model that incorporates the most important epidemiological features of HPV infection and associated cancers. To assess the population-level impact of HPV immunization programs, the model incorporates school-based vaccine delivery for juveniles and catch-up vaccination for adults. The dynamics of the model are rigorously analyzed using the next-generation operator, the center manifold theorem, and normal forms theory. We formulate an optimal control problem to determine the best deployment strategy for HPV vaccination for several plausible scenarios. We establish the existence of solutions of the optimal control problem, and use Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle to characterize the necessary conditions for optimal control solutions. The findings suggest that if girls-only programs are complemented with catch-up vaccination for adult females, such program has the potential to achieve HPV-associated cancers eradication even if boys and males do not receive the vaccine. We also find that the optimal vaccine deployment, in terms of minimizing HPV associated diseases and the cost of vaccination, is to allocate as much vaccines as possible at the initial phase of the epidemic and once a high vaccination coverage is reached then gradually decrease vaccination rates.

The impact of publicly funded immunization programs on human papillomavirus vaccination in boys and girls: An observational study

Reaching and maintaining high global human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake has been challenging. The impact of publicly funded HPV immunization programs and the interplay of sociodemographic, psychosocial and policy factors in maximizing vaccination is poorly understood. This observational study examined the impact of introducing publicly funded school-based HPV vaccination programs for boys directly on uptake in boys and indirectly on uptake in girls, while concurrently examining other important sociodemographic and psychosocial factors. Data were collected from a national, longitudinal sample of Canadian parents of children aged 9-16 years during August-September 2016 (T1) and June-July 2017 (T2). Participants completed an online questionnaire measuring sociodemographic characteristics, vaccine knowledge and attitudes, health care provider recommendation, and HPV vaccine uptake. Analyses were conducted separately for parents of boys and girls using logistic regression analyses at T1 and T2. Jurisdictions with HPV vaccine funding for boys at both time-points were compared to those with funding at neither time-points and those that introduced funding between time-points. The sample included parents of boys (n=716) and girls (n=843). In multivariable analyses, jurisdictions with funding for boys at both time-points had higher odds of vaccination (adjusted odds ratio, T1 = 10.18, T2 = 11.42; 95% confidence interval, T1 = 3.08-33.58, T2 = 5.61-23.23) than jurisdictions without funding at both time-points; however, funded jurisdictions did not have higher odds of vaccination compared to jurisdictions that newly introduced funding for boys. Vaccination was associated with consistent determinants in boys and girls including child's age, health care provider recommendation, perceived vaccine harms, and perceived vaccine affordability. This gender-sensitive analysis highlights the interplay of sociodemographic, psychosocial, and policy factors that can improve HPV vaccination. Publicly funded school-based programs are an impactful strategy to increase vaccine uptake. This work was supported by the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (#704,036). GKS was supported by the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship programs. The funders of this work had no role in the data collection, analysis, or interpretation, or any aspect pertinent to the study.

Preventing Cervical Cancer Globally: Are We Making Progress?

Abstract An unacceptable number of women continue to die from cervical cancer around the world each year. Despite established primary and secondary prevention measures, and a natural history of disease which provides a long latent phase in which to intervene, there are still more than 500,000 women diagnosed with cervical cancer globally each year, and 300,000 related deaths. Approximately 90% of these cervical cancer cases and deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The World Health Organization (WHO) recently launched a Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer that outlines 3 key steps: (i) vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV); (ii) cervical screening; and (iii) treatment of precancerous lesions and management of invasive cancer. Successful implementation of all 3 steps could reduce more than 40% of new cervical cancer cases and 5 million related deaths by 2050. However, this initiative requires high level commitment to HPV immunization programs, innovative approaches to screening, and strengthening of health systems to provide treatment for both precancerous lesions as well as invasive cervical cancer.

The effects of the national HPV vaccination programme in England, UK, on cervical cancer and grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia incidence: a register-based observational study

Human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation with a bivalent vaccine (Cervarix) was introduced in England, UK, in Sept 1, 2008: routine vaccination was offered to girls aged 12-13 years with a catch-up programme for females aged 14-18 years in 2008-10. We quantified the early effect of this immunisation programme on cervical cancer and cervical carcinoma in situ, namely grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN3), registrations. In this observational study, we used an extension of the age-period-cohort Poisson model to estimate the relative risk of cervical cancer in three vaccinated cohorts compared with earlier cohorts that were not eligible for HPV vaccination. Data from a population-based cancer registry were extracted on Jan 26, 2021, and were assessed for diagnoses of cervical cancer and CIN3 from Jan 1, 2006 to June 30, 2019 in women aged 20-64 years and who were a resident in England. We used three vaccinated cohorts to account for differences in the school year in which the vaccine was offered and its national coverage. Adjustment for confounding was made using information on changes in cervical screening policy and historical events that affected cervical cancer incidence. Results were compared across models with different adjustments for confounders. We used data from a total of 13·7 million-years of follow-up of women aged 20 years to younger than 30 years. The estimated relative reduction in cervical cancer rates by age at vaccine offer were 34% (95% CI 25-41) for age 16-18 years (school year 12-13), 62% (52-71) for age 14-16 years (school year 10-11), and 87% (72-94) for age 12-13 years (school year 8), compared with the reference unvaccinated cohort. The corresponding risk reductions for CIN3 were 39% (95% CI 36-41) for those offered at age 16-18 years, 75% (72-77) for age 14-16 years, and 97% (96-98) for age 12-13 years. These results remained similar across models. We estimated that by June 30, 2019 there had been 448 (339-556) fewer than expected cervical cancers and 17 235 (15 919-18 552) fewer than expected cases of CIN3 in vaccinated cohorts in England. We observed a substantial reduction in cervical cancer and incidence of CIN3 in young women after the introduction of the HPV immunisation programme in England, especially in individuals who were offered the vaccine at age 12-13 years. The HPV immunisation programme has successfully almost eliminated cervical cancer in women born since Sept 1, 1995. Cancer Research UK.

Inpatient Immunization With HPV Vaccine: A Qualitative Study With Postpartum Women.

Rates of immunization with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among adolescent and young adult females remain suboptimal. There is a continued need to focus on catch-up immunization. Some hospitals in the United States have implemented inpatient postpartum HPV immunization programs (IPP-HPV) as part of a strategy to improve rates of catch-up immunization. Patients' perspectives are critical to facilitating broad adoption of IPP-HPV. The objectives of this study were to understand the experiences and perspectives of postpartum women recommended to receive HPV vaccine before hospital discharge and to identify facilitators of and barriers to program implementation. We conducted in-depth semistructured interviews with postpartum women eligible for IPP-HPV. We used purposive sampling to ensure representation across race, ethnicity, and language. Interviews were analyzed using an iterative thematic approach. The median age of participants (n=24) was 22years (range, 15-26years), and six had declined the inpatient dose of HPV vaccine. Overall, women viewed IPP-HPV favorably. Facilitators of program implementation included viewing HPV vaccine as prevention, normalization of the vaccine, convenience of IPP-HPV, and the experience of a patient-centered approach. Barriers included the peripartum environment and associated stress, vaccine hesitancy, and a lack of both awareness of and knowledge about HPV vaccine. IPP-HPV immunization is a strategy well-received by women for improving rates of catch-up immunization. The implementation of such programs may be optimized by increasing awareness that the vaccine is available and recommended for postpartum women, and by using a patient-centered approach that is sensitive to the needs of postpartum patients.

Evolution of Public Health Human Papillomavirus Immunization Programs in Canada.

Background: Since 2007, all Canadian provinces and territories have had a publicly funded program for vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The objective of this study was to describe the evolution of these vaccination programs. Methods: This was a targeted literature review of public HPV vaccination programs and vaccination coverage rates, based on information provided by jurisdictional public health authorities. Results: HPV vaccination of schoolgirls began in school years 2007/08 to 2010/11 with three doses of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine in all provinces except Quebec, which started with two doses. By 2018/19, all jurisdictions were vaccinating with two doses of the nonavalent vaccine in both girls and boys, except Quebec, which used a mixed vaccination schedule with one dose of the nonavalent and one dose of the bivalent vaccines. Public HPV vaccination programs in most provinces include after-school catch-up vaccination. Immunocompromised or other high-risk individuals are eligible for the HPV public vaccination program in most provinces, but policies vary by jurisdiction. In 2017/18, vaccination coverage rates in provincial HPV school-based programs varied from 62% in Ontario to 86% in Prince Edward Island in girls and from 58% in Ontario to 86% in Prince Edward Island in boys. Conclusions: Since their introduction, Canadian school-based HPV public vaccination programs have evolved from a three-dose to a two-dose schedule, from a quadrivalent to a nonavalent vaccine, and from a girls-only to a gender-neutral policy. Vaccination coverage rates have varied markedly and only Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland/Labrador have maintained rates exceeding 80%.

Evaluation of an Inpatient Postpartum Human Papillomavirus Immunization Program

To evaluate the result of an inpatient postpartum human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization pilot program in a diverse, low-income patient population from an urban, hospital-based obstetrics and gynecology clinic. In this cohort study, we present results from the first 2 years of the inpatient postpartum HPV immunization program, in which vaccine-eligible postpartum women were identified and immunized during their hospital stays. The program was implemented after educational outreach with prenatal and postpartum clinicians and nurses. Associations between receipt of the HPV vaccine as an inpatient and the characteristics of patients, and the likelihood of and missed opportunities for receiving a subsequent dose of the HPV vaccine as an outpatient were determined using logistic regression, time-to-event analyses, chi-squared tests and t-tests. From April 11, 2017, to April 10, 2019, 394 (59.2%) of 666 postpartum women were eligible for the inpatient postpartum HPV immunization program. The majority (265/394, 67.3%) received the immunization pilot program HPV dose; 36 of those 265 (13.6%) completed the series with that dose. Among women due for additional doses after hospital discharge, those who received the inpatient dose were more likely to receive a subsequent outpatient dose (138/229) than were those who did not receive an inpatient dose (39/129; hazard ratio 2.51, 95% CI 1.76-3.58). On average, there were 30.7 fewer (95% CI 5.8-55.6, P<.02) missed opportunities for subsequent outpatient doses for every 100 eligible visits among women who received the inpatient dose, compared with women who did not. By the end of the study, the proportion of women who had completed the vaccine series was higher among women who received the inpatient dose (95/265, 35.8%) than in those who did not (12 out 129, 9.3%; odds ratio 5.45, 95% CI 2.86-10.38). The inpatient postpartum HPV immunization program was associated with increased rates of immunization and addressed a previously missed opportunity. Inpatient immunization programs can serve as a critical way to address gaps in vaccine uptake.

Impacts of Human Papillomavirus Immunization Programs on Rates of Anogenital Warts in British Columbia, Canada, 2000 to 2017.

In 2008, British Columbia (BC) implemented a school-based quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV-4) immunization program for girls born in 1994 or later. In 2015, an expanded clinic-based program included men who report sex with men (MSM) born in 1989 or later. To evaluate the impacts of HPV-4 programs on anogenital warts (AGWs), diagnosis rates were measured among women who report sex with men (WSM), men who report sex with women (MSW), and MSM. Diagnoses of AGW were ascertained from 16 sexually transmitted infection clinics. Rates were calculated as new AGW diagnoses over person-years (py) at risk and stratified by age group, calendar period, and birth cohort. Adjusted relative rates (aRR) were estimated using multivariable Poisson regression. There were 204,832 clinic visits by 85,158 individuals: 28,366 (33%) WSM, 35,688 (42%) MSW, and 14,534 (17%) MSM. After adjusting for age and period, AGW rates in the 1994-1996 birth cohort decreased by 56% overall (1.21 vs. 2.72 cases/100 py; aRR, 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34-0.59), 65% among WSM (0.97 vs. 2.77 cases/100 py; aRR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.22-0.57), 58% among MSW (1.60 vs. 3.78 cases/100 py; aRR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.28-0.65), and 41% among MSM (1.14 vs. 1.19 cases/100 py; aRR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.38-0.91) versus the 1991-1993 birth cohort. The HPV-4 programs had significant impacts on lowering AGW rates in BC. The greatest decrease was among WSM eligible for the school-based program, followed by birth cohorts of men who likely have sex with HPV-4 eligible women. The smallest decrease among MSM may reflect the later introduction of the clinic-based program.

“It takes time to build trust”: a survey Ontario’s school-based HPV immunization program ten years post-implementation

ABSTRACT Objectives Describe Ontario’s school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program from the perspective of local public health units (PHUs). Methods In 2018, Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) managers at each of Ontario’s 35 PHUs were invited to participate in an online survey regarding the organization and delivery of their HPV vaccination program. Questions were asked on the school-based program, training and support of vaccine providers, communication and promotion, assessing coverage rates and perceptions of the program’s strengths and challenges. Descriptive statistics were generated for close-ended items. A thematic content analysis was performed for open-ended items. Results Eighteen PHUs (54%, n = 19/35) responded. All responding PHUs provided the HPV vaccine in publicly funded schools but only 6 reported being permitted to provide HPV vaccine in private schools. Fact sheets, Q&As or other written information locally developed by the PHUs were the main tools used to communicate with parents (n = 17), students (n = 13), school personnel (n = 13) and school board officials (n = 9). The most frequently reported barriers were: limited program resources, negative perceptions held by parents and/or school staff regarding the HPV vaccine, logistical issues (e.g., getting the consents forms returned, collaboration with schools for vaccine delivery) and the fact that HPV vaccination is not mandatory under Ontario legislation. Conclusion Local public health units that implement HPV vaccine programs in schools identified logistical barriers, public perceptions about the HPV vaccine and the voluntary nature of the program as the main barriers.

Cost-effectiveness evaluations of the 9-Valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine: Evidence from a systematic review.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs are established to be cost-effective before implementation. WHO recommends HPV vaccination for girls aged 9-13 years to tackle the high burden of cervical cancer. This review examined the existing evidence on the cost-effectiveness of the 9-valent HPV vaccine within a global context. The literature search covering a period of January 2000 to 31 July 2019 was conducted in PubMed and Scopus bibliographic databases. A combined checklist (i.e., WHO, Drummond and CHEERS) was used to examine the quality of eligible studies. A total of 12 studies were eligible for this review and most of them were conducted in developed countries. Despite some heterogeneity in approaches to measure cost-effectiveness, ten studies concluded that 9vHPV vaccination was cost-effective and two did not. The addition of adolescent boys into immunisation programs was cost effective when vaccine price and coverage was comparatively low. When vaccination coverage for females was more than 75%, gender neutral HPV vaccination was less cost-effective than vaccination targeting only girls aged 9-18 years. Multi cohort immunization approach was found cost-effective in the age range of 9-14 years. However, the upper age limit at which vaccination was found not cost-effective requires further evaluation. This review identified duration of vaccine protection, time horizon, vaccine price, coverage, healthcare costs, efficacy and discounting rates as the most dominating parameters in determining cost-effectiveness. These findings have implications in extending HPV immunization programs whether switching to the 9-valent vaccine or the inclusion of adolescent boys' vaccination or extending the age of vaccination. Further, this review also supports extending vaccination programs to low-resource settings where vaccine prices are competitive, donor funding is available, burden of cervical cancer is high and screening options are limited.

The economic burden of cervical cancer from diagnosis to one year after final discharge in Henan Province, China: A retrospective case series study.

BackgroundIn China, the disease burden of cervical cancer remains substantial. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are expensive and not yet centrally funded. To inform immunization policy, understanding the economic burden of the disease is necessary. This study adopted a societal perspective and investigated costs and quality of life changes associated with cervical cancer from diagnosis to one year after final discharge in Henan province, China.MethodsInpatient records of cervical cancer patients admitted to the largest cancer hospital in Henan province between Jan. 2017 and Dec. 2018 were extracted. A telephone interview with four modules was conducted in Jun.-Jul. 2019 with a 40% random draw of patients to obtain direct non-medical costs and indirect costs associated with inpatients, costs associated with outpatient visits, and changes in quality of life status using the EQ-5D-5L instrument. Direct medical expenditures were converted to opportunity costs of care using cost-to-charge ratios obtained from hospital financial reports. For each clinical stage (IA-IV), total costs per case from diagnosis to one year after final discharge were extrapolated based on inpatient records, responses to the telephone interview, and recommendation on outpatient follow-ups by Chinese cervical cancer treatment guidelines. Loss in quality-adjusted life years was obtained using the ‘under the curve’ method and regression predictions.ResultsA total of 3,506 inpatient records from 1,323 patients were obtained. Among 541 randomly selected patients, 309 completed at least one module of the telephone interview. The average total costs per case associated with cervical cancer from diagnosis to one year after final discharge ranged from $8,066-$22,888 (in 2018 US Dollar) and the quality-adjusted life years loss varied from 0.05–0.26 for IA-IV patients.ConclusionsThe economic burden associated with cervical cancer is substantial in Henan province. Our study provided important baseline information for cost-effectiveness analysis of HPV immunization program in China.

A New Strategy for Cervical Cancer Prevention Among Chinese Women: How Much Do They Know and How Do They React Toward the HPV Immunization?

In 2017, HPV vaccines were first marketed in China. We carried out an investigation among parents of high school students to assess parents' knowledge of cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV)/HPV vaccines, along with their acceptance of HPV vaccination and the factors that influence it, all of which are essential for targeted education regarding HPV vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted among parents of high school students in East China using a pretested questionnaire. Data regarding knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV, HPV vaccines, and acceptance of the vaccines were collected and analyzed. In total, 1,200 questionnaires were distributed, with 1,125 valid responses. Overall, 87.5% of respondents knew that cervical cancer is one of the most common genital system cancers; 78.67% knew that HPV causes cervical cancer; 69.2% knew that HPV is primarily transmitted through sex; 54.3% knew that HPV vaccines exist; and 35.6% knew the optimal age for HPV vaccination. Only 4.4% had vaccinated their daughters for HPV, and 35.4% were willing to do so. Reasons for refusal primarily concerned the vaccines' safety (77.4%) and efficacy (61.5%). Multivariate analyses showed that parents who had obtained pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for their daughters showed higher acceptance of HPV vaccines, as well as higher knowledge of cervical cancer, the association of HPV and cervical cancer, and the main transmission route of HPV. Although parents' knowledge level regarding cervical cancer was moderate, it was very low regarding HPV and HPV vaccines. Teenagers' HPV vaccine uptake and parents' willingness to vaccinate their children was also quite low. Educational interventions and awareness campaigns are needed to ensure the success of HPV immunization programs in East China.

Sociodemographic determinants of knowledge and attitude in the primary prevention of cervical cancer among University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) students in Malaysia: preliminary study of HPV vaccination

BackgroundCervical cancer is the third most common cancer affecting women around the world in which the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the one of the recognized causative agent affecting women health. In response to this health issue, the Malaysian government had officially implemented the HPV immunisation programme for secondary schoolchildren in 2010 at the age of 13 years old and above. The purpose of this study is to investigate the sociodemographic determinants of knowledge and attitude among students of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) towards the HPV vaccination programme.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires, recruiting 374 UTAR’s students as the respondents by using convenience sampling method. Respondents were categorized as having good/poor level of knowledge and positive/negative attitude towards HPV vaccination.ResultsOver half of the respondents were females (64.5%) and the majority were aged 20 years old and below (55.8%). Generally, 54.7% of the total respondents had a high level of knowledge towards HPV vaccine while 57.5% of the total respondents showed a negative attitude towards HPV vaccine. Female respondents aged 20 years old and below showed good knowledge (56.4%) and a more positive attitude (55.8%) towards HPV vaccine. Students from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) exhibited higher knowledge (67.3%) and positive attitude (62.4%) as compared to the Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) which showed only 32.7% of knowledge and 37.6% of positive attitude towards the HPV vaccination.ConclusionThe majority of UTAR students possess good knowledge regarding HPV vaccination. Nonetheless, they demonstrated a negative attitude towards HPV vaccination, depicting the necessity to impart and further intensify the sense of health awareness among all students, especially among male students. The judicious use of social media apart from the conventional mass media should be an advantage as to enhance the practice of HPV vaccination among them and thereafter minimize the health and economic burdens of cervical cancer.

Knowledge towards human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and attitude towards its vaccine in the Kingdom of Bahrain: cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo determine the level of awareness of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and to assess attitudes towards receiving the vaccine among men and women in Bahrain.DesignA cross-sectional study. An interview-based...