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Vaccines
Special Issues
HPV Vaccination Coverage: Problems and Challenges
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HPV Vaccination Coverage: Problems and Challenges

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Papillomavirus Vaccines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 3155

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Shillpa Naavaal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Dental Public Health and Policy, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 520 N. 12th St, Box 980566, Richmond, VA 23298-0566, USA.
Interests: HPV vaccine; vaccination; medical-dental integration; health policies
Dr. Zheng Quan Toh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Infection and Immunity, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Interests: infection; immunity; global health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Paul Licciardi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Infection and Immunity, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Interests: human papillomavirus vaccines; immunogenicity; correlates of protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can lead to various cancers. HPV vaccines are safe and effective, preventing over 90% of these cancers; however, vaccination rates remain suboptimal. It is important to improve HPV vaccination coverage to reduce mortality and morbidity. Numerous national and global initiatives aim to increase HPV vaccination rates, and some progress has been made over the years. Nonetheless, these rates still fall significantly behind routinely required vaccines, indicating specific challenges unique to the HPV vaccine. This Special Issue focuses on the challenges related to HPV vaccine availability, distribution, and uptake across various settings and populations while also identifying strategies for improvement.

Dr. Shillpa Naavaal
Dr. Zheng Quan Toh
Dr. Paul Licciardi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • HPV vaccine
  • vaccine uptake
  • vaccination strategies

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 253 KiB  
Article
Evaluating HPV Vaccination Behavior and Willingness to Be Vaccinated and Associated Factors Among University Students in Italy
by Francesca Licata, Concetta Arianna Scicchitano, Maria Rita Caracciolo and Aida Bianco
Vaccines 2025, 13(4), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13040426 - 18 Apr 2025
Viewed by 268
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to provide insight into potential predictors of HPV vaccination uptake and the willingness to get vaccinated. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among university students using an online, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Vaccine hesitancy was measured [...] Read more.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to provide insight into potential predictors of HPV vaccination uptake and the willingness to get vaccinated. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among university students using an online, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Vaccine hesitancy was measured according to the adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (aVHS). Sociodemographic characteristics, beliefs about vaccination decision-making, vaccination behavior, and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine among unvaccinated students, and sources of information about vaccinations were investigated. Results: Among the 542 sampled students, 11.1% were classified as vaccine-hesitant. About one third (31.7%) had not received the HPV vaccination. Males, older students, those who had not received the dTap-IPV booster dose, and those being discouraged from getting vaccinated by a healthcare worker were more likely not to be vaccinated. Students having one parent holding a university degree or higher were more likely to be vaccinated compared to those having parents with a high school diploma or less. Among unvaccinated students, 65.7% were willing to get vaccinated against HPV, and it was positively associated with a low aVHS score and female gender, as well as being enrolled in medical and life sciences majors. Conclusions: Suboptimal HPV vaccination uptake was observed, especially among male and older university students. Insights from the present study highlight the need to address misconceptions about HPV infection and vaccines by providing facts that can be used in conversations with individuals who may feel insecure after having heard various myths about HPV vaccination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HPV Vaccination Coverage: Problems and Challenges)
17 pages, 904 KiB  
Article
Knowledge About HPV and the HPV Vaccine: Observational Study on a Convenience Sample of Adolescents from Select Schools in Three Regions in Italy
by Laura Brunelli, Francesca Valent, Manola Comar, Barbara Suligoi, Maria Cristina Salfa, Daniele Gianfrilli, Franz Sesti, Giuseppina Capra, Alessandra Casuccio, Erik De Luca, Emily Bertola, Silvia Gazzetta, Lorenza Driul, Andrea Isidori, Patrizia Ferro, Nicolò Piazza, Palmira Immordino, Teresa Fasciana and Vincenzo Restivo
Vaccines 2025, 13(3), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13030227 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 911
Abstract
Background/Objectives: HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infectious agent worldwide and adolescents are at high risk of contracting HPV. The aim of our study was to find out how much adolescents know about the virus and its effects, and to obtain information [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infectious agent worldwide and adolescents are at high risk of contracting HPV. The aim of our study was to find out how much adolescents know about the virus and its effects, and to obtain information on attitudes and behaviors regarding HPV vaccination to close these gaps. Methods: As part of the ESPRIT project, 598 lower secondary (11–14 years) and upper secondary (14–19 years) school students from three Italian regions were surveyed between December 2023 and March 2024 using a seven-question online questionnaire on awareness, knowledge, and attitudes about HPV and the HPV vaccine. Count and zero-inflation models were used to determine correlations between sexes, urban/suburban, province of residence, and school type with knowledge. Results: Lower secondary students believed that HPV causes HIV/AIDS (8.9%) or hepatitis C (3.0%) and rarely mentioned anal (21%) and oral sex (9.6%) as ways of transmission. Among upper secondary students, misconceptions were similar, with worrying rates of students stating that HPV only causes cancer in females (18%) or males (2.4%), and low rates of identifying transmission risk through anal (41%) and oral (34%) sex and genital contact (38%). The HPV vaccination rate was quite low (47% in lower secondary students, 61% in upper secondary students). In the regressions, sex, urban/suburban area, and province were the variables associated with higher levels of knowledge for lower secondary students; for upper secondary students, level of knowledge was associated with sex, urban/suburban area, school type, and province of residence. Conclusions: Awareness and knowledge of HPV and the HPV vaccine are low among Italian students in this study and reported vaccination coverage is below the national target. Coordinated efforts at the national level are needed to address this public health issue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HPV Vaccination Coverage: Problems and Challenges)
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14 pages, 230 KiB  
Article
HPV Vaccines Among University Students: Understanding Barriers and Facilitators of Vaccine Uptake
by Sana Malik, K. Olivia Mock, Rose Martillotti, Giuseppina Caravella, Xicheng Zhou, Matthew Mbamelu and Kathleen H. Scarbrough
Vaccines 2024, 12(12), 1385; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12121385 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1460
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection and plays a significant role in cervical, penile, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and oropharyngeal cancers as well as non-cancerous genital warts and genital dysplasia. In the United States, there are approximately 46,000 new HPV-related [...] Read more.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection and plays a significant role in cervical, penile, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and oropharyngeal cancers as well as non-cancerous genital warts and genital dysplasia. In the United States, there are approximately 46,000 new HPV-related cancers a year. There is an effective vaccine to prevent over 90% of these cancers and other HPV-related diseases; however, those that are aged 18–26 have the lowest vaccine rates among eligible age groups. The objective of this study was to examine student knowledge and perceptions about HPV vaccine hesitancy in university students and their notions of barriers and facilitators for HPV vaccine uptake. We aimed to identify components for an evidence-based community-oriented educational intervention to increase HPV vaccination uptake. The researchers recorded 10 focus groups featuring students from a Northeastern United States university, aged 18–26, which were analyzed using grounded theory and inductive thematic analysis to identify recurring themes. The participants mentioned many barriers and facilitators for attaining the HPV vaccine, with health literacy being prominent for both. They demonstrated some knowledge of what HPV is and ways to avoid it. They also expressed a desire for further information and felt that the way in which this information is presented to the public is vital for increasing vaccine uptake and designing future interventions. In order to increase HPV vaccination rates in the general population and overcome barriers such as family, religious, and cultural values, it is important to emphasize the link between HPV and cancer and its preventative benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HPV Vaccination Coverage: Problems and Challenges)

Review

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15 pages, 285 KiB  
Review
Overcoming Barriers to Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Guangdong Province, China
by Shuaijing Zhang, Shiqi Li, Jingtai Ma, Guiyuan Ji, Zhifeng Li, Siyi Chen, Fenglin Zhang, Xingfen Yang, Jianpeng Xiao, Rong Cao, Chenggang Wu and Wei Wu
Vaccines 2025, 13(5), 482; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13050482 - 29 Apr 2025
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection remains a critical public health challenge in China, particularly in Guangdong Province, where HPV-52, 16, and 58 genotypes predominate, and male infection rates exceed 40%. Despite the successful implementation of a government-funded school-based program that has achieved 88% HPV [...] Read more.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection remains a critical public health challenge in China, particularly in Guangdong Province, where HPV-52, 16, and 58 genotypes predominate, and male infection rates exceed 40%. Despite the successful implementation of a government-funded school-based program that has achieved 88% HPV vaccine coverage among adolescent girls, several persistent barriers, including genotype mismatch (the free HPV vaccine covers < 50% of high-risk local strains), regional disparities (80% vs. 60% for first-dose coverage), and exclusion of males, thwart progress toward herd immunity. Financial sustainability risks pose an even more significant threat to the expansion of HPV vaccination programs, especially in Guangdong province where annual expenditures exceed CNY 200 million. This review delves into Guangdong’s pioneering efforts and proposes practical solutions: accelerating domestic multivalent HPV vaccine development, adopting gender-neutral vaccination policies, and leveraging mobile clinics for remote populations. These strategies not only provide a roadmap for China but also serve as valuable insight for other LMICs striving to overcome HPV-related inequalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue HPV Vaccination Coverage: Problems and Challenges)
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