Vaccination of adolescents against papillomavirus infections, linked to the appearance of various cancers, experienced “an improvement” in 2021, but remains at “moderate levels”, especially among the most disadvantaged, according to a study by Public Health France.
In mainland France, the vaccination coverage of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 against these infections, particularly those related to uterine cancer, is estimated at 43.6%, the agency indicates in its weekly epidemiological bulletin, published this Tuesday. .
Santé Publique France used data from “health barometers” in mainland France and in the Overseas Territories, whose participants (24,514 in mainland France, more than 6,000 in the Overseas Territories) were surveyed by telephone by Ipsos between February and December 2021. .
Progress but far from goals
Therefore, vaccination is experiencing a “breakthrough” in this age group, according to the health agency. Previous data, set differently, estimated the proportion of 15-year-old girls vaccinated at 29.4% in 2018 and 45.8% in 2021.
However, the vaccination coverage of girls against these infections remains “moderate in France and far from the 60% target” of the 2014-2019 cancer plan, stresses SPF.
It also appears to be among the lowest in Europe, while countries such as Finland, Hungary, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and Sweden have more than 70% of adolescent girls vaccinated.
Another observation: the vaccination of adolescents against HPV reflects certain inequalities.
Geographically, vaccination coverage is particularly low in the overseas territories (13.8% in Guadeloupe, 17.2% in Martinique, 22.6% in Guyana, 24.0% in Réunion).
Social inequalities come into play
Social criteria also come into play. The higher the parental income, the more teens get vaccinated. For girls with one or more unemployed parents, vaccination coverage is “particularly low.”
In mainland France, more than 13% of parents of adolescent girls have not heard of the HPV vaccine, a fairly stable percentage. But, in groceries, ignorance is greater.
For non-vaccination, fear of side effects and fear of the vaccine are the main reasons cited by parents. In some cases, the doctor would not have suggested, or even advised against, this injection.
Vaccination against HPV infections has been recommended in France for girls since 2007, for boys since 2021.
“The organization of vaccination by school medicine could allow increasing vaccination coverage”, as in other countries, according to SPF.
The Minister of Health, François Braun, has repeatedly expressed the desire to increase vaccination against human papillomavirus infections.
Source: BFM TV
