Kaiser Study Examines HPV Vaccine Rate in Boys

Boys are more likely to receive the human papillomavirus vaccine series if their mothers receive flu shots or Pap screenings, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today.

The study in the American Journal of Public Health examined the electronic health records of more than 250,000 boys aged 9 to 17 years enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California health plan and found that the HPV4 vaccination rate was 16 percent higher in boys whose mothers had received a flu shot within the previous year than in boys whose mothers did not.

The vaccination rate was 13 percent higher in boys whose mothers had a Pap screening in the past three years than boys whose mothers did not have a Pap test.

The study also found that boys whose mothers had a history of genital warts were 47 percent more likely to receive the HPV4 vaccine, although the researchers note that this association did not reach statistical significance.

In addition, HPV4 vaccine uptake was found to be higher among boys who were Hispanic, resided in neighborhoods with lower levels of income and educational attainment and enrolled in a Medicaid program.

"Our study findings suggest that a mother's receipt of preventive services may have an impact on their son's HPV4 vaccination," said Dr. Rulin Hechter, study lead author and researcher with the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research  Evaluation. "These mothers might be more familiar with preventive measures for HPV infection, influencing their decision to have their children vaccinated."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is a common virus easily spread by skin-to-skin contact and is considered to be the main cause of cervical cancer in women, with about 12,000 new cases each year in the U.S.

The CDC considers the HPV vaccine a safe and effective way to protect females and males against some of the most common types of HPV and the health problems the virus can cause.