Significantly fewer HPV vaccinations for children and adolescents
The number of HPV vaccinations for children and adolescents against cancer plummeted in Lower Saxony last year, according to data from health insurance provider DAK. Sexually transmitted human papillomaviruses (HPV) can cause cervical cancer and cancer of the mouth and throat. In 2022, 31 percent fewer children and adolescents were vaccinated against cancer than in the previous year, according to a special analysis of the DAK-Gesundheit Children and Adolescents Report. This put the state well above the national average - nationwide, the decline was around 25 percent.
According to the analysis, the decline is particularly sharp among 15 to 17-year-old boys - the number of HPV vaccinations in this age group fell by 44% last year. Overall, the number of boys vaccinated fell by 37 percent, while the number of girls vaccinated fell by 25 percent. According to DAK-Gesundheit, it is the third largest health insurance company in Germany with 5.5 million insured persons. In Lower Saxony, the fund has 538,000 insured persons.
According to DAK-Gesundheit, billing data from around 74,500 children and young people up to the age of 17 insured with DAK-Gesundheit in Lower Saxony were examined for the special analysis. Anonymized insurance data from the years 2017 to 2022 was examined for this purpose.
DAK state head Dirk Vennekold spoke of a bad sign "for the health care of our children. After the coronavirus pandemic, the hoped-for catch-up effect has unfortunately failed to materialize". HPV vaccinations could protect young people from cancers that often lead to death, he warned - and called for a vaccination campaign.
Lower Saxony's Health Minister Andreas Philippi called the figures worrying. The SPD politician called for more information about HPV vaccinations. The proportion of children vaccinated against HPV was not particularly high even before the coronavirus pandemic - especially in comparison to other European countries, said Thomas Fischbach, President of the Professional Association of Pediatricians and Adolescent Doctors. "Now it is worryingly low." The massive decline is difficult to explain, but there is a "slightly increased vaccination skepticism" in view of the discussions about alleged consequential damage from the corona vaccination.
In fact, according to the analysis, the decline in HPV vaccination is even more pronounced compared to the pre-corona year 2019: in 2022, 41% fewer children and adolescents received a vaccination against cancer for the first time than in 2019. In this comparison, the figures for boys (minus 48%) also fell more sharply than for girls (minus 33%). The sharpest decline was among 15 to 17-year-old boys - the drop was 60 percent.
Despite the serious health risks associated with HPV diseases, which can lead to various types of cancer, the number of children and adolescents with health insurance covered by HPV vaccinations decreased significantly. This decline, particularly notable among boys, raises concerns about their long-term health and the effectiveness of disease prevention efforts, highlighting the importance of promoting HPV vaccination programs.
Source: www.dpa.com
