On the occasion of European Vaccination Week, the League Against Cancer “alerts public opinion on the importance and effectiveness of vaccination against papillomavirus (HPV) for girls and boys aged 11 to 19. years”.
- Each year, approximately 6,300 cases of cancer linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) are diagnosed in France, in men and women.
- The disease causes 2,900 deaths a year
According to a new OpinionWay survey for the League Against Cancer, many French people are not yet convinced of the value of vaccination against the papillomavirus, which is administered to young people in order to reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer. uterus, ENT, anus, vulva, vagina and penis.
The most favorable seniors
Thus, 24% of French people are not convinced by the vaccination of girls against papillomavirus and 30% by that of boys. Women and the socio-professional categories furthest from information are the most skeptical about vaccination, while seniors are more in favour.
“Parents (28%), especially of children under 10 (38%), more often declare themselves unfavorable to vaccination than the rest of the population, and to HPV vaccination in particular”, can also be read in the report. Among these respondents, the lack of evidence on the effectiveness of the vaccine is a criterion of mistrust for 43%. They also explain their reluctance by:
– the lack of hindsight on the long-term effects (41%).
– Lack of information (40%).
– The risk of side effects (allergic reactions, infertility, etc.) (36%).
Survey highlights heightened distrust of vaccines in general: across all respondents (whether opposed to HPV vaccines or not), 44% say their level of confidence in vaccination has dropped since the Covid-19 crisis.
“Misunderstandings”
“These results are alarming: they demonstrate the existing misunderstandings about HPV infections and vaccines. Prevention and awareness must be strengthened, especially among the audiences furthest from information. HPVs are still unknown by more than half of the parents!”, estimates Daniel Nizri, voluntary president of the League against cancer. “It is a priority public health issue to protect young generations from cancer! Vaccines against HPV are part of the effective and safe means of eradicating this infection and the cancers it generates”, he adds.
In 2020 in France, HPV vaccination coverage among adolescent girls was estimated at 41% for one dose at age 15 (vs. 35% in 2019) and 33% for the complete regimen at age 16 (vs. 28% in 2019). ).
