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Cancer research

HPV Vaccination Rates Plummet Among Young People

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A recent report has highlighted a concerning decline in the uptake of a vaccine that could significantly increase the chances of avoiding one of the most preventable forms of cancer. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is typically offered to school pupils aged between 12 and 13 to combat the spread of HPV, which is the primary cause of cervical cancers. Despite the vaccine being freely available to eligible people, a long-term downward trend has been observed, with only 71.5% of S1 pupils in the 2023/2024 academic year receiving the vaccine.

Key Takeaways:

  • The HPV vaccine is typically offered to school pupils aged between 12 and 13 to combat the spread of HPV, which is the primary cause of cervical cancers.
  • Cancer Research UK states that 99.8% of cervical cancer cases are preventable.
  • Only 71.5% of S1 pupils in the 2023/2024 academic year received the vaccine, representing a decrease from 72.9% the previous year and 73.5% in 2021/2022.
  • A study conducted in 2021 found that rates of cervical cancer fell by nearly 90% among women in their 20s in England who were offered the vaccine when they were aged between 12 and 13.
  • Public Health Scotland's report revealed a worrying disparity between vaccination rates in deprived and affluent communities, despite the vaccine being freely available to eligible people.
  • The most deprived areas saw only 59.9% of S1 pupils vaccinated, in contrast to the least deprived areas which reported a vaccination rate of 82.1%.
  • More girls were receiving the vaccine than boys, although the vaccine also offers health benefits for males, including protection against HPV.
  • Dr Claire Cameron, from Public Health Scotland, expressed alarm over the widening disparities in vaccination rates and attributed the decline to a fall in vaccine confidence and altered engagement with education and healthcare.

Statistics:

  • 71.5% of S1 pupils in the 2023/2024 academic year received the HPV vaccine.
  • 72.9% of S1 pupils received the vaccine in the previous year, representing a decrease of 1.4%.
  • 73.5% of S1 pupils received the vaccine in 2021/2022, representing a decrease of 2.0% in the past two years.
  • Cervical cancer rates fell by nearly 90% among women in their 20s in England who were offered the vaccine when they were aged between 12 and 13, as found by a 2021 study.
  • The most deprived areas saw only 59.9% of S1 pupils vaccinated, while the least deprived areas reported a vaccination rate of 82.1%.
  • The NHS offers a HPV vaccine that guards against nine types of the virus.

Sources:

  • Public Health Scotland's report (no date)
  • Cancer Research UK (no date)
  • BBC (no date)
  • The NHS (no date)
  • GETTY (no date)
  • A 2021 study (no date)

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