Note . Adapted from “Statement on Human Papillomavirus and Squamous Cell Cancers of the Oropharynx,” by the American Dental Association, n.d., retrieved from http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-human-papillomavirus-and-squamous-cel; Ramanadhan Shoba, Fontanet Constance, Teixeira Marina, Mahtani Sitara and Katz Ingrid. Exploring attitudes of adolescents and caregivers towards community-based delivery of the HPV vaccine; a qualitative study. BMC Public Health. (2020) 20:1531. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com>articles; Oral Cancer Foundation. HPV / Oral Cancer Facts. © 2022. https//oralcancerfoundation.org>understanding>hpv…; American Dental Association. Cancer (Head and Neck) Department of Scientific Information, Evidence Synthesis and Translation Research, ADA Science and Research Institute, LLC. Last updated: September 30, 2022; “Talk With Your Kids,” by the California Family Health Council, n.d., retrieved from http://www.talkwithyourkids.org/pages/health-care-teens-need/ health-care-teens-need.html; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Answering Parents’ Questions about HPV Vaccination. Last updated November 1, 2021d. https://www.cdc.gov>hpv>answering-questions Parental concerns about the vaccine Parents may be interested in having their children
should reflect the clinician’s knowledge of the (HPV) and the risks and benefits of vaccination. CDC, 2021d; Stull, et al., 2020). Studies suggest that vaccine administration is not associated with initiation of sexual activity or engaging in higher-risk sexual behaviors (Gilkey, et al., 2019; CDC, 2021d; Conley & Kasting, 2022). Table 14 presents common parental concerns and questions relating to the vaccine.
vaccinated, but they may fail to act on their interest because of questions that have gone unanswered. Often, parents want reassurance that the decision to vaccinate is the right one. They collect information from many sources, including their dental providers. When discussing the HPV vaccine with parents, straightforward answers are most effective and
Table 14: Common Parental Concerns Regarding the HPV Vaccine Parent’s Concern Dental Practitioner’s Response
My child is not/will not/should not be having sexual relations. So why does my child need the HPV vaccine now? Won’t regular Pap tests detect any abnormalities and identify cervical cancer without the need for the vaccine?
The vaccine is most effective when given before initiation of any sexual activity. Studies also show that the HPV vaccine produces a higher immune response in preteens than it does in older teens and young adults. Regular Pap tests will detect cervical abnormalities and identify cervical cancer caused by the presence of HPV. However, when given before the initiation of sexual activity, the vaccine will protect a woman against the HPV types that cause most cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and anal cancers. Among women who had not been previously exposed to an HPV type covered by the vaccine, clinical trials demonstrated 93% vaccine efficacy in preventing cervical cancers due to HPV type 16 or 18. In other words 9 out of 10 women who received the vaccine were protected from the HPV types that cause cervical cancer. A healthy immune system can fight low-risk HPV types and remove them from the body, usually within 1 to 2 years after infection. However, even a healthy immune system may not be able to destroy the high-risk HPV types, the ones that can cause cancer. Reasons that some people can clear the virus and others cannot are not known. If the body cannot clear the virus and it persists, the presence of the virus over time can cause changes in the cells that lead to cancer. The vaccines protect against the high-risk types of HPV that are known to cause cancer. These are the virus types that are harder for the body to fight. For these reasons the vaccine has been called a “cancer shot.” More than 67 million doses of the HPV vaccine have been distributed in the U.S.; worldwide, 175 million doses have been given. Multiple studies have found no serious safety concerns linked to the vaccine. Brief fainting spells can occur after any medical procedure, including vaccination. Recent data suggest that fainting after any vaccination is more common in adolescents. Sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes after a vaccination can help prevent fainting and injuries caused by falls. There have been 96 deaths total following HPV vaccine administration. The CDC performed a records review of 47 available case reports and no evidence was found to implicate the vaccine as the cause of death. About 14 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. HPV infection can cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in women; penile cancer in men; and anal cancer and mouth/throat (oropharyngeal) cancer, as well as genital warts, in both men and women. When administered before young people become sexually active, the vaccine protects them before they are ever exposed to the virus. Parents, particularly those of young girls, have expressed concern that vaccine administration will cause their daughters to believe they are at lower risk for acquiring STIs, which will translate into initiation of sexual activity and/or engaging in higher-risk sexual behaviors. However, studies suggest that vaccine administration is not associated with initiation of sexual activity or engaging in higher-risk sexual behaviors. Among women who had not been previously exposed to an HPV type covered by the vaccine, clinical trials demonstrated 93% vaccine efficacy in preventing cervical cancers due to HPV 16 or 18. In other words, 9 out of 10 women who received the vaccine were protected from the HPV types that cause cervical cancer. In males, the vaccine protects against the high-risk HPV types that cause penile and anal cancer, as well as genital warts.
HPV has been known to clear up on its own, so why get vaccinated?
The vaccine offers protection only from some of the strains of HPV. Why bother if it doesn’t protect from all HPV strains? I’m not confident in the safety of the vaccine. Aren’t there girls who’ve fainted or even died after getting vaccinated?
How does the vaccine protect my child?
I’m afraid my child will regard being vaccinated as permission to have sex.
How effective is the vaccine?
I have a son. Isn’t this a vaccine for cervical cancer?
Page 120
EliteLearning.com/Dental
Powered by FlippingBook