Over A Third of US Adults Are Unaware of HPV

TOPLINE:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness remained critically low across the US between 2017 and 2020, with over one third of adults unaware of HPV and its corresponding vaccine. This was particularly true in Midwestern and Southern states, regions in which HPV-associated cancers are rising, and vaccination rates are suboptimal.

METHODOLOGY:

About 48,000 HPV-associated cancers are diagnosed annually in the US, predominantly in Midwestern and Southern states. Public awareness of HPV and its vaccine is crucial for increasing vaccination rates and preventing these cancers.

Using data from the 2017-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 Cycles 1-4 and 2022 HINTS Cycle 6 in the US, researchers assessed the awareness of HPV, HPV vaccine, and its role in causing cervical