Lesbian youths less likely to receive HPV vaccination

Despite being at an elevated risk for cervical cancer morbidity and mortality, young lesbians are significantly less likely to initiate HPV vaccination compared with heterosexual and bisexual women, according to recently published data in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “Adolescents and young adult lesbians may be less likely to have initiated HPV vaccination than their heterosexual counterparts because of the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs related to sexual orientation and HPV risk among young women, health care providers and parents and caregivers,” Madina Agénor, ScD, MPH, department of social and behavioral science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues wrote.