HPV Vaccinations and Healthcare Access: Bridging the Gap
There’s a lot of talk about vaccinations lately, so I’m not necessarily surprised to read the results of a new study from Blue Cross Blue Shield.
HPV is the most common STI. With over 200 types, 40 types infect the genitals and anus (American Sexual Health Association, 2021). There are three vaccines used in the US: Gardasil, Gardasil9, and Cervarix. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), all three prevent HPV types 16 and 18 (two high risk types responsible for 70% of cervical cancer). Gardasil prevents HPV 6 and 11, responsible for 90% of genital warts. Finally, as previously mentioned on this page, Gardasil 9 prevents infection for the foregoing types, as well as five additional cancer causing types.
It’s hard to not draw parallels between our world’s current conundrum and the results of this study. It should be noted that those children who attended two or more wellness visits over three years were more likely to complete the second dose (BCBS, 2021).
Who has access to wellness visits? What quality of care do they receive? Can they afford it—do they have insurance? Does insurance cover their care? Are they working full-time? Can they afford childcare?
Many can be quick to blame folks without an understanding of the complete picture of the current healthcare system and the disservice and degradation it causes marginalized populations.
Like many great inventions and ideas, research is a great tool, but it often doesn’t tell the complete picture. I will link the results and discussion in my stories.