Study shows most women would accept HPV vaccine

A new study of more than 200 women shows that the majority would accept human papillomavirus vaccinations for themselves and their children to help prevent infection with the sexually transmitted virus, which has been linked with virtually all cases of cervical cancer, Women's Health Weekly reports. Seventy-six percent of the women say they would be vaccinated, and 67% of those women with a daughter say they would have the child vaccinated against the STD. Sixty-four percent also say they would have their sons vaccinated, although there is no data yet to show that HPV vaccines work to prevent infections in men or prevent men from being able to transmit the virus to others through sexual contact. The reasons women cited for not opting for vaccinations for themselves were unknown side effects and not being sexually active; the main reason cited for not vaccinating their children was the belief that young people are not sexually active. Of the women who said they would not vaccinate their children, 23% also said they would not permit their children to participate in school sex education courses. "Given that the vaccine may be available in the next five to 10 years, it is critical that we begin educating parents, especially mothers, now about how the vaccine will be crucial to the prevention of cervical cancer," researcher Diane Bodurka told Women's Health Weekly.