Uptake, coverage, and completion of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in the vaccine safety Datalink, July 2006-June 2011

Purpose The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) for use in females in June 2006 and in males in October 2009. The objective of our study was to describe HPV4 uptake, single-dose coverage, and completion of the three-dose series among those 9–26 years of age, after the respective female and male vaccine licensures through June 2011. Methods The study population included members of eight managed care organizations participating in the Vaccine Safety Datalink; we abstracted demographic and comprehensive vaccine information from electronic health records. Results We found one-dose coverage increasing throughout the study period, to a high of 37.7% among females and 1.3% among males in June 2011. Among those receiving at least one HPV4 dose, three-dose series completion was 42% for females and 30.2% for males. Conclusions Our results demonstrate low initiation and completion of the HPV4 series among those recommended to receive the vaccine. Although consistent with previous studies, these results highlight the continued need to develop, implement, and monitor strategies to increase HPV4 vaccine initiation and completion in younger adolescents to achieve maximum impact in reducing the burden of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases.