Rising STD Rates Show Utah’s Need For Gardasil

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-- Despite what many Utah parents believe, Utah teens are in great need of the HPV vaccine, Gardasil. A majority of Utah parents disagree with CDC recommendations regarding the administrations of the HPV vaccination. Gardasil has been shrouded in controversy since its debut in June 2006, despite its protective qualities against cervical cancer.

Utah has been particularly unreceptive to Gardasil. Public health officials believe this resistance is partially due to the fact that many Utah parents refuse to believe that their teens engage in sexual behaviors. Utah is not the safe place parents presume it to be. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nationwide, 49% of high school seniors have had sexual intercourse at least once, and 36% of teens are currently sexually active. While the statistics in Utah are slightly lower than the national average, Utah parents need to be aware of the growing need for the HPV vaccine. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are increasing faster in Utah than in any other area of the country. On March 22, 2007 The Deseret Morning News reported that from 2000-2005, rates of chlamydia increased by 110%, and rates of gonorrhea increased by 195%. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and HPV are closely related to one another. Data from the CDC shows that 46% of women with HPV also have either chlamydia or gonorrhea. The skyrocketing rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea indicate that HPV is also on the rise. Although the rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea are still well below the national average in Utah, if the rates continue at their current pace, Utah will have one of the highest rates of infection per capita within the next ten years.

Because of the large increase in cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea, the rate of HPV will also dramatically increase in Utah within the next few years. Legislators are becoming aware of the problems. The 2007 session of the Utah Legislature included a bill, HB 358, concerning further education to teens about the dangers of unprotected sex, as well as the signs, symptoms and effects of HPV infection. HB 358 would have also provided state funds to financially assist those unable to afford the vaccination. The vote was spilt 4-4 and the bill was not approved. Representatives claim to have received emails from individuals requesting that the bill not pass. Individuals voiced two concerns over the passage of the bill. The main concern parents have is the age group recommended for immunization. The CDC recommends the vaccine for girls as
young as nine, listing the ideal ages for vaccination as 11-12. The reason for such a young recommendation is that sexual activity increases sharply at age 13. Because Gardasil is a preventative, not a curative measure, immunization must take place before sexual activity and subsequent infection occurs. The other concern that parents voiced is that teens would view Gardasil as a form of birth control. Gardasil only protects against HPV strains 6, 11, 16 and 17, it does not prevent pregnancy or protect against other sexual transmitted infections. Proper education in both the home and the school settings will help to ensure that teens have adequate information and help them use the vaccination for its intended purpose.
While education helps alleviate the problem, it does not eliminate it. The most pressing problem facing health educators is that sexual education does not occur young enough. Gardasil is recommended for girls ages 11-12, the reason being that sexual activity begins to dramatically increase at age 13. Gardasil, like most vaccines, is a preventative measure; it is not an effective treatment for an existing condition. In order to educate effectively in Utah schools, education about sexually transmitted infections must begin as young as the third grade.

Sexual activity in Utah is much greater and growing faster than most parents realize. This presents an urgent need for increased vaccination among Utah preteens. Sexual education must come earlier and be more straightforward in to prevent cervical cancer in Utah. More vaccinations and education will make a difference.