Human papillomavirus vaccination and social inequality: results from a prospective cohort study

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 139; no. 3; pp. 400 - 405
• Main Authors: ROBERTS, S. A., BRABIN, L., STRETCH, R., BAXTER, D., ELTON, P., KITCHENER, H., McCANN, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-03-2011
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Cervical cancer; Child; Childhood; Children; Children & youth; Childrens health; Cohort Studies; Confidence intervals; Ethnic Groups; Ethnicity; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Immunization; Measels mumps rubella vaccine; Microbiology; Minority & ethnic groups; Miscellaneous; Missing data; Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control; Papillomavirus Vaccines - administration & dosage; Parents; Prospective Studies; Regression analysis; Schools; Social inequality; Socioeconomic Factors; Statistical significance; United Kingdom; Vaccination; Vaccination - utilization; Vaccines; Virology; Virus infections; White people; United Kingdom > UK; England; Human papilloma virus (HPV); vaccination (immunization); inequalities; vaccine policy development; public health; Papillomavirus; Virus; Human papillomavirus; Cohort study; Vaccination; Papovaviridae; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S095026881000066X

We investigated the effect of social inequalities on the uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, combining data from a feasibility study conducted in 2007–2008 in 2817 secondary schoolgirls in two UK primary-care trusts, with census and child health records. Uptake was significantly lower in more deprived areas (P<0·001) and in ethnic minority girls (P=0·013). The relatively small proportion of parents who actively refused vaccination by returning a negative consent form were more likely to come from more advantaged areas (P<0·001). Non-responding parents were from more deprived (P<0·001) and ethnic minority (P=0·001) backgrounds. Girls who did not receive HPV vaccination were less likely to have received all their childhood immunizations particularly measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Different approaches may be needed to maximize HPV vaccine uptake in engaged and non-responding parents, including ethnic-specific approaches for non-responders.