Metrics details. The human papillomavirus HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and is linked to several types of cancer. HPV vaccination uptake in the U. Some parents of adolescents have concerns that vaccination will encourage sexual behavior and therefore choose not to vaccinate. Previous studies investigating vaccination and sexual behavior have included only young women and girls. The objective of this study is to assess associations between HPV-vaccination and sexual behavior in a college-age cohort of both men and women.
Here, we consider vaccination status, sexual behavior, and substance use among college-aged men and women. Logistic, Poisson, and Cox regression were used to determine the relationship between probability of sexual debut, number of sexual partners, and HPV vaccination status at baseline as well as between age at sexual debut and vaccination status at debut. HPV vaccination status was not significantly associated with an increased likelihood of sexual debut odds ratio: 0.
Instead, race or alcohol use were independent predictors of sexual behavior. Concerns about the influence of the HPV vaccine on sexual behavior are likely unfounded for both men and women.
These results can aid in increasing vaccine acceptability, inform and strengthen physician recommendations, and ultimately reduce the burden of HPV and HPV-related cancers in the U.
Peer Review reports. The human papillomavirus HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, with approximately 14 million new infections, both genital and oral, occurring every year in the United States; the vast majority of sexually active men and women will harbor an HPV infection at some point in their lifetime [ 1 ]. There are currently three prophylactic HPV vaccines with FDA approval: Gardasil HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18; approved in for young women, for young men , Cervarix types 16 and 18; approved in for young women , and Gardasil 9 types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58; approved in for young women and men.
