HPV Vaccination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

HPV Vaccination - Research Paper Example A study on the "Impact of HPV Vaccination & Sexual Activity of Adolescent Girls" needs to be undertaken to asses the situation statistically and to undermine the long term implications considering Social & Religious practices. The purpose of this study is to identify whether vaccination against HPV will impact sexual activity in teenager girls. The health benefits are clear, but receiving the vaccine is dependent upon parents' perspectives, values and belief systems. Opponents believe that vaccinating teens as young as 9 could encourage teenage promiscuity. Some religious groups are worried the vaccine will be given to adolescents without warning them that it still doesn't make sex "safe"(May et al) .Also of concern is if this vaccine is required in schools, then will this infringe on parental rights regarding their child's sexual health According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approximately 20 million people in the United States are infected with HPV. The 4 million of the 6.2 million new cases of genital HPV infection this year will be teenagers. According to the 2003 YRBS, 37% of males and 29% of females in the ninth grade have had sexual intercourse, and 7% of students had sexual intercourse before age 13 (CDC) "However, many parents in this study were concerned about how to explain the HPV vaccine to a child and whether the vaccine would encourage unsafe sexual practices" (Mays et al). Problem: Initiation of sexual intercourse in adolescence is accompanied by considerable risk of STIs and pregnancy. Long-term consequences of STIs in women increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can include infertility tubal pregnancy, fetal and infant demise, chronic pelvic pain, and cervical cancer (CDC). Recommendations: The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP) has recommended that the newly developed quadrivalent HPV vaccine be routinely given to girls beginning at age 11 or 12 as part of comprehensive strategy to eliminate HPV transmission in the United States. Initiation: Due to increasing numbers of STI's, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2001 published the "Healthy People 2010". An initiative aimed at reducing the number of STI cases in adolescents, it has been identified as a leading national health concern. On June 8, 2006, the Food and Drug