Young Puerto Rican Women Know Little About HPV

Statistics show that HPV vaccination rates are significantly low among Puerto Rican women. Now, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health have discovered that while 51 percent of women will start the vaccination series, only 21 percent will finish it.

"Our study is the first to provide insight into common psychosocial barriers affecting HPV vaccination in Puerto Rico," said lead study author María E. Fernández, Ph.D., and associate professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences at the UTHealth School of Public Health, in a news release.

For the study, researchers examined women between the ages of 16 and 24, which showed that few knew that HPV was linked to cervical cancer and other problems.

Furthermore, unvaccinated women oftentimes believed that cervical cancer can be caused by genetic predisposition, lack of good hygiene, birth control pills, diet or lack of physical activity. Many who were uncertain of HPV also knew little about the vaccine.

"This research suggests that Puerto Rican-specific intervention messages need to include more information about vaccine efficacy, more recommendations from providers and increased promotion of the vaccine," Fernandez concluded.

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