Study shows girls believe HPV vaccine protects from other STDs

January 6, 2012 by Deborah Braconnier in Health report

HPV vaccine

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Gardasil vaccine and box. Image: Wikipedia

(Medical Xpress) -- A new study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine shows that almost a quarter of girls surveyed believe that the HPV vaccine will also help prevent other STDs. This new information is sparking a demand for better education when the vaccine is administered.

HPV virus affects almost 30 percent of sexually active females between the age of 14 and 19 and is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S. The HPV vaccine is designed to reduce the risk of infection by certain strains of the . The current vaccine protects against two HPV strains that are responsible for causing as well as two strains that are linked to an increased risk for .

The new study, led by Dr. Tanya Kowalczyk Mullins from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The researchers surveyed 339 girls between the ages of 13 and 21. They also surveyed 235 mothers and female guardians. Of those surveyed, 57.5 percent were sexually active.

The questions asked were designed to evaluate the perceived risk of HPV, risk of other STDs and the need for safer sexual behaviors post HPV vaccination. The results showed that 23.6 percent of the girls questions believed that the reduced their risk for getting other sexually transmitted diseases and that greater safe sexual behavior was not necessary.

While the researchers caution that this study looked at girls from a single clinic serving low-income clients and it may not accurately represent the general population, they believe that the need for more education on the HPV virus and vaccine is needed by physicians and the educational system. A stronger emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that this vaccine will do nothing to reduce the risk of STDs such as syphilis, gonorrhea or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

More information: Adolescent Perceptions of Risk and Need for Safer Sexual Behaviors After First Human Papillomavirus Vaccination, Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012;166(1):82-88. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.186

Abstract
Objectives.  To (1) examine perceptions of risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), (2) examine perceived need for safer sexual behaviors, and (3) determine factors associated with less perceived need for safer sexual behaviors, all in the context of receiving the first HPV vaccination.
Design.  Cross-sectional baseline analysis from an ongoing longitudinal cohort study.
Setting.  An urban hospital-based adolescent primary care clinic.
Participants.  Girls 13 to 21 years (for this article girls are defined as being aged 13 to 21 years) (n = 339) receiving their first HPV vaccination and their mothers (n = 235).
Main Outcome Measures.  (1) Girls' perceived risk of HPV after HPV vaccination, (2) girls' perceived risk of other STIs after vaccination, (3) girls' perceived need for continued safer sexual behaviors after vaccination, and (4) factors associated with girls' perception of less need for safer sexual behaviors.
Results.  Mean age of girls was 16.8 years. Most participants (76.4%) were black, and 57.5% were sexually experienced. Girls perceived themselves to be at less risk for HPV than for other STIs after HPV vaccination (P < .001). Although most girls reported continued need for safer sexual behaviors, factors independently associated with perception of less need for safer sexual behaviors included adolescent factors (lower HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge and less concern about HPV) and maternal factors (lower HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge, physician as a source of HPV vaccine information, and lack of maternal communication about the HPV vaccine).
Conclusions.  Few adolescents perceived less need for safer sexual behaviors after the first HPV vaccination. Education about HPV vaccines and encouraging communication between girls and their mothers may prevent misperceptions among these adolescents.

© 2011 Medical Xpress

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that_guy
Jan 06, 2012

Rank: 3.8 / 5 (4)
Studies show that ignorant people are ignorant.

Further studies show that there are three subsets of people:
Ignorant people who give a shit less that they are ignorant in general.
People who just don't care about a subject and therefore have no opinion or drive to remove said ignorance.
People who take time to remove their own ignorance in general or take time to educate themselves about a particular subject.

Due to the makeup of the human population, you will find that on average, the top two groups will outnumber the latter group on almost any specific topic or subject that is not endemic to popular culture.

Because every study I run across regarding 'important factual knowledge' finds that a majority of people answer incorrectly.
freethinking
Jan 06, 2012

Rank: 1.3 / 5 (15)
More education? The more education kids receive the become the less they know.

How about we spend money on reading, writing, math, (spelling :)), and science.

Maybe if we stop spending money on sex education like this http://www.thebla...dogging/

kids will be safer
Duude
Jan 06, 2012

Rank: 5 / 5 (3)
Unfortunately, if their teachers don't know better, they won't either.
HealingMindN
Jan 06, 2012

Rank: 1 / 5 (7)
Studies show that ignorant people are ignorant....


Ignorant people also denote superior or fictional qualities to the intellect of their "authority figures" as well as the vaccines they push.

For the sake of your loved ones, especially your kids, please research the (gardasil) HPV vaccine - especially in California where the Gov believes minors can decide on their own to get vaccinated w/o parents consent.
Vendicar_Decarian
Jan 06, 2012

Rank: 3.2 / 5 (11)
"The more education kids receive the less they know." - FreeTard

"What has EDUCASHION have to do with anything?

Besides. Every time I learn something new, something else falls out of my brain.

Remember when I took that home wine making course and forgot how to drive?" - Homer

"You were drunk" - Marge

"And How..." - Homer
Vendicar_Decarian
Jan 06, 2012

Rank: 3.3 / 5 (12)
"How about we spend money on reading, writing, math, (spelling :)), and science." - FreeTard

Being free means being free to be ignorant of reading, writing, math and science, doesn't it?

Perhaps you haven't been thinking enough about the consequences of free thinking.
Vendicar_Decarian
Jan 06, 2012

Rank: 4.3 / 5 (11)
"Maybe if we stop spending money on sex education like this
http://www.thebla...dogging/" - FreeTard

What upsets you about a video that talks to young adults about sex in the language that they hear on the street?

Do you think they will learn any better if they are lectured by an old woman dressed in a lab smock and depends undergarments?

The fact is, a surprising number of 14 year olds have already taken part in gang bangs. They are free thinking for themselves... And thinking that what they see on the internet and in porn shop windows is the thing to do.

Sex education is the second favorite subject that ConservaTards use to froth themselves into a state of Limbaugh like constipation.

Scyfurion
Jan 07, 2012

Rank: 2.5 / 5 (8)
Dispite the fact that Sex education is proven to keep people from doing stupid things like... unprotected sex or ramp-idly perform oral sex (which some kids believe isn't sex and won't give you any STDs of any kind...). Yes lets all keep people sheltered because if we don't talk about it it doesn't exist right? Dispite what all those pesky nerds and their "skyance" says my logic is fool proof... I may be just a bit bitter...
TheGhostofOtto1923
Jan 09, 2012

Rank: 2 / 5 (4)
Please define 'dispite', 'ramp-idly', and '"skyance"' (and 'dispite' again)

Skyance - is this what you are talking about?
http://www.youtub...JK8F3gR4

-What does it have to do with STDs?
Scyfurion
Jan 09, 2012

Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
WOW classic troll move. and coming form a guy who spells poodle as puddle. You didn't even understand what you where reading did you, oh well, trolls are so cute I enjoy hunting them. I at least embrace what I am >:)

In case anyone accidentally stumbles upon this thread please do not respond or quote me. I will not be returning to this thread.
TheGhostofOtto1923
Jan 09, 2012

Rank: 2 / 5 (4)
WOW classic troll move. and coming form a guy who spells poodle as puddle. You didn't even understand what you where reading did you,
No because it was largely unintelligible?
I will not be returning to this thread.
And otto wins another one. This is getting easy.
http://de.wikiped...ki/Pudel

yippayippa
Rank 5 /5 (1 vote)
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