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Research Article - Journal of Child and Adolescent Health (2018) Volume 2, Issue 2
Human papillomavirus vaccine coverage among the intellectually and developmentally disabled: a single-institution study.
Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection, can cause genital warts and cancers. While HPV vaccines can protect against these diseases, the intellectually and developmentally disabled population may not be adequately receiving this routine health care.
Methods: Patients, between age 9 and 26, seen at a rural academic institution from January 2013 to December 2016 were included. Patients with intellectual disability and developmental delay and those who received HPV vaccines were searched using medical codes. Vaccination rates by age, sex, and department were analyzed.
Results: HPV vaccination rates of the disabled and non-disabled patients were 18.4% and 17.7%, respectively. Among the disabled, younger aged and female patients, seen at the Department of Pediatrics, were vaccinated more often.
Conclusions: While the overall HPV vaccination rate was low, there was no significant difference between the disabled and non-disabled, suggesting that all patients, regardless of disability, are receiving the equal level of care.
Author(s): Kim HG, Ancar FM, Kauffman RP, Baker T