Rationale for Reducing the Spread of
Human Papillomavirus in
Adolescents: Strategies to Improve
Outcomes (CME Multimedia Activity)
Kenneth Alexander, M.D.,
a
Alison Moriarty Daley, M.S.N., A.P.R.N., P.N.P.-B.C.
b
,
and Amanda Frisch Dempsey, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.
c
a
Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Comer Children’s Hospital, The University of Chicago, Chicago,
Illinois;
b
Master’s Program, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Yale University School of Nursing and
Adolescent Clinic, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut;
c
Department of Pediatrics
and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
ABSTRACT
As detailed in this online CME activity (http://cmeaccess.com/
cme/JAH_HPV_program/index.asp?link_idϭ2), human papillo-
mavirus (HPV) infection is the cause of cervical cancer and neo-
plasias in women, and genital warts in men and women. In
addition, 35%–85% of vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile, and oropha-
ryngeal cancers are attributable to HPV. An estimated 80% of
females and 50% of males in the United States will become
infected at some point in their lives; however, the incidence of
this highly prevalent infection peaks in adolescents and young
adults. Owing to the importance of vaccination before this ele-
vated risk of exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention recommends HPV vaccination for girls aged 11–12 years
with either the bivalent or quadrivalent vaccine. Recently, the
quadrivalent vaccine, which also protects against genital warts
and anal neoplasias and cancer, was approved for use in boys as
well. Although the coverage rate has increased steadily in the 5
years since the vaccine’s introduction, it remains below 50%. To
overcome barriers to vaccination, including lack of awareness
about adolescents’ HPV risk and challenges associated with pre-
ventive care in this age group in general, healthcare providers
must be able to educate parents/patients about HPV and the
vaccine, as well as maximize opportunities to vaccinate adoles-
cents at every office visit.
᭧ 2012 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Society for
Adolescent Health and Medicine. Journal of Adolescent Health
50 (2012) S1
Keywords: HPV vaccination; Adolescent vaccination; HPV in
males; Vaccination barriers
Statement of author disclosure: Please see the Author Disclo-
sures section at the end of this article.
Funding: This activity is supported by an educational grant from
Merck & Co., Inc.
Authorship: All authors had access to all data in preparation of
this multimedia activity.
E-mail addresses: kalexander@peds.bsd.uchicago.edu; alison.
moriarty@yale.edu; and adempsey@med.umich.edu.
Acknowledgments
This multimedia activity was peer reviewed by Journal of Adoles-
cent Health and The Journal for Nurse Practitioners and is jointly
sponsored by Purdue University College of Pharmacy and Health
Education Alliance, Inc.
Author Disclosures
The faculty who participated in this multimedia activity have
disclosed the following industry relationships: Kenneth Alex-
ander, M.D., has received grant/research support from Merck
& Co. Inc. He is a consultant/speaker/member of the Advisory
Board for Merck & Co. Inc. Alison Moriarty Daley, M.S.N.,
A.P.R.N., P.N.P.-B.C., is a consultant to the Merck Female Pop-
ulation Advisory Board for Merck & Co. Inc., and a consultant to
the National Cervical Cancer Vaccination Advisory Board for
GlaxoSmithKline. Amanda Frisch Dempsey, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., is
a member of the Advisory Board (providing feedback on male
HPV vaccination strategies) for Merck & Co. Inc. All additional
planning committee members, Health Education Alliance Inc.
staff, and Purdue University College of Pharmacy staff have no
relationships to disclose.
Journal of Adolescent Health 50 (2012) S1
CME MULTIMEDIA ACTIVITY
1054-139X/$ - see front matter ᭧ 2012 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.
doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.10.014