Small Changes, Big Effects- Get Your Child Vaccinated Against HPV

HPV, a silent killer to your child

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexual transmitted infection (STI). People can be infected HPV through sexual behavior during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and HPV can cause genital warts and cancers such as cervical cancer, anal cancer, and oral cancer. More than 20 million people in the US are currently infected with HPV, and almost half of sexually active men and women have infected with it. Sounds horrible and shocked, right? As a parent, there is nothing important than protecting your child from sickness. But, what do you do to protect your children from HPV infection?

Who should get the HPV vaccine?

In June 2006, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first HPV vaccine, and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that 9-26 year-old females should get the shots; in October 2011, ACIP recommended that 11-12 year-old males should also get the shots against HPV. Why the vaccine is recommended in this age range? The HPV vaccine can work best if all 3 shots are vaccinated before their first sexual experience occurs. Therefore, take action earlier, and leave the risk away. However, mandatory of HPV vaccines is still heating up and in debate now, and the vaccine legislation is varied from state to state.

What’s the next step? It is the time to take your child to the clinics, bring the question list with you, and talk to the doctors!

Will doctors encourage you to allow your child to receive the vaccine?

Daley, a doctor in the Department of Pediatrics at University of Colorado, suggested that “pediatricians will have important role in promoting HPV vaccination, given that young adolescents than any other providers and that providers are known to have substantial influence on their patients’ immunization decisions.” It is thus clear that doctors’ support of HPV vaccine can have great influence on whether parents allow their child to receive the vaccine. A study that included 406 pediatricians about their attitudes toward encouraging their patients’ parents to get their children vaccinated against HPV showed that a high percentage of doctors will love to promote HPV vaccine. Doctors, overall, also expressed that other people will think they should encourage parents to get their patients vaccinated, and it was easy for doctors to encourage the parents of their patients to get their children vaccinated.

However, although doctors have already encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated, there were still a few parents refuse to allow their children to get vaccinated. The primary reason was that parents would be worried that HPV vaccination may encourage their children’s risky sexual behavior. Other concerns were about the long-term immunity abilities of the vaccine, and this would give children false perceptions of security about their sexual health.

Parents’ acceptance of getting their children vaccinated is an important key to optimize the HPV vaccine implementation. Small changes, big differences! Take your doctors advices, and get your child vaccinated!

Reference:

1.Roberto AJ, Krieger JL, Katz ML, Goei R, Jain P. Predicting Pediatricians' Communication With Parents About the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine: An Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action. Health Communication 2011;26(4):303-312.

2.Daley MF, Liddon N, Crane LA, Beaty BL, Barrow J, Babbel C, et al. A national survey of pediatrician knowledge and attitudes regarding human papillomavirus vaccination. Pediatrics 2006;118(6):2280.

Picture: http://www.123rf.com/photo_8974772_doctor-doing-vaccine-injection-to-blond-little-girl.html

Yen-Tyng Chen is a doctoral student in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education at Emory University. She has broad interests in a variety of topics include substance use, adolescent health, and mental health. She loves people and the nature. Hiking is her favorite.