Improving communication about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme among families (NIHR, October 2023)

Summary

HPV is a common infection that is spread by skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact, which can lead to the development of cancers affecting both women and men, including cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oral cavity.

In England, young people aged 12 to 13 years are offered immunisation against HPV as part of the NHS vaccination programme. Research has shown that in England cervical cancer has almost been eliminated among young women who were offered the HPV vaccine. However, research by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol has identified sustained inequalities in uptake by area and minority ethnic groups. It has also identified unmet information needs among young people in schools where vaccination uptake is low, with implications for obtaining consent and vaccination uptake.

This web page contains a number of information videos to address information needs about HPV among young people. They were coproduced with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and diverse ethnic groups.

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