In the Truth in Medicine Poll by South Nassau Communities...

In the Truth in Medicine Poll by South Nassau Communities Hospital, seen in 2017, the large proportion of parents who voiced uncertainty about the HPV vaccine said they needed more information about the two-dose shot.  Credit: Danielle Finkelstein

Parents in the greater metropolitan area say they're aware of the HPV vaccine, which prevents cervical and several other cancers, but more than one-third responding in a poll released Tuesday said they have no plans — or are unsure — whether they’ll have their children immunized.

The HPV vaccine helps the body mount a vigorous response against multiple strains of the human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted pathogen that causes cervical cancer as well as several malignancies that affect men. The vaccine ideally is administered to girls and boys during preteen years, a factor that has raised questions among some parents.

In the Truth in Medicine Poll by South Nassau Communities Hospital, the large proportion of parents who voiced uncertainty about the vaccine — 37 percent — said they needed more information about the two-dose shot. They also remarked being unaware the vaccine also was for boys.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination at age 11 or 12 for girls and boys. The vaccine was first recommended for girls in 2006, and for boys in 2011. The shot can be given later, up through age 45.

Although 60 percent of respondents told pollsters they already had their children vaccinated against HPV, the percentage of parents expressing concerns meant there is a need for stronger communitywide education, medical experts at South Nassau said.

“The poll result I found to be most interesting is the one where parents didn’t find the vaccine to be an imperative because it is not required for school,” said Jeannine Gismondi, a cancer nurse and cervical cancer-prevention specialist at the Oceanside hospital.

There are two HPV vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, but only Gardasil, a product of Merck, is recommended for both boys and girls. Gardasil provides protection against HPV serotypes — strains — 16 and 18, the most common causes of cervical cancer. The vaccine also boosts immunity against HPV 6 and 11, the primary causes of genital warts. Cervarix, which has not been approved for boys, protects only against HPV 16 and 18.

“I am the mother of three boys who were vaccinated,” Gismondi added. “I don’t feel the education is out there for parents, especially in [medically] underserved communities.”

The survey polled 600 respondents in November, and 57 percent of them were white. But large percentages also were black and Hispanic, data from the survey showed. Polling was conducted by LJR Custom Strategies, which has offices in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans.

Health care providers at South Nassau have turned to polling over the past two years on a range of health issues because it serves as a barometer of public opinion. Poll results allow the hospital’s experts to gauge where public health education is most needed. 

“There is controversy about the HPV vaccine,” said Dr. Aaron Glatt, chairman of the department of medicine at South Nassau and a specialist in infectious diseases. “We try to pick topics where we will have an opportunity to correct misconceptions.

“HPV vaccination prevents infection with a virus that a young person may not be exposed to for 20 years. But the important thing is that this is a vaccine that can prevent cancer,” Glatt added.

In addition to cervical cancer prevention, the vaccine prevents head and neck cancers, as well as anal and penile cancers.

Dr. Warren Rosenfeld, chief of pediatrics at South Nassau, said one of the most important factors about the vaccine is its safety profile.

"Acceptance is getting better," Rosenfeld said. "When it was a new vaccine, one of the questions was about safety. This is a very safe vaccine. It has been around for a long time and tens of millions of doses have been given."

About HPV

Nearly 80 million people — men and women — are infected with HPV in the United States, with an estimated 14 million new people becoming infected annually with the potentially cancer-causing virus, according to federal statistics.

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