TY - JOUR

T1 - Stronger responders-uptake and decline of HPV-vaccination in Denmark

AU - Lübker, Charlotte Lynderup

AU - Lynge, Elsebeth

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2019.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the stronger responders behind the fluctuating coverage with the HPV-vaccine in Denmark in order to facilitate information campaigns targeted at specific subgroups. Methods: Newspaper articles published from 2006 to 2009 with information about coverage with the HPV-vaccine in Denmark were identified from the database Infomedia.dk. Vaccination coverage of recent years was retrieved from the publically accessible statistics from the State's Serum Institute. Data on average disposable income nationally and for each municipality was retrieved from Statistics Denmark. Results: According to numbers published in newspapers, girls residing in municipalities with a high disposable income were the first ones to secure the HPV-vaccine in Denmark. Years later, at the start of the debate about possible side effects of the HPVvaccine, the decline in vaccination coverage was slightly steeper for girls from high income municipalities than for girls from low income municipalities. Conclusions: Girls from municipalities with a high disposable income seem to be the stronger responders of the fluctuating coverage with the HPV-vaccine in Denmark. This was the case both during the initial surge in coverage after the vaccine's introduction on the market, and during the later decline following the debate on possible side effects. Identification of this dispersion pattern enables health authorities to initiate targeted information campaigns.

AB - Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the stronger responders behind the fluctuating coverage with the HPV-vaccine in Denmark in order to facilitate information campaigns targeted at specific subgroups. Methods: Newspaper articles published from 2006 to 2009 with information about coverage with the HPV-vaccine in Denmark were identified from the database Infomedia.dk. Vaccination coverage of recent years was retrieved from the publically accessible statistics from the State's Serum Institute. Data on average disposable income nationally and for each municipality was retrieved from Statistics Denmark. Results: According to numbers published in newspapers, girls residing in municipalities with a high disposable income were the first ones to secure the HPV-vaccine in Denmark. Years later, at the start of the debate about possible side effects of the HPVvaccine, the decline in vaccination coverage was slightly steeper for girls from high income municipalities than for girls from low income municipalities. Conclusions: Girls from municipalities with a high disposable income seem to be the stronger responders of the fluctuating coverage with the HPV-vaccine in Denmark. This was the case both during the initial surge in coverage after the vaccine's introduction on the market, and during the later decline following the debate on possible side effects. Identification of this dispersion pattern enables health authorities to initiate targeted information campaigns.

U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/cky235

DO - 10.1093/eurpub/cky235

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30412236

AN - SCOPUS:85066822836

VL - 29

SP - 500

EP - 505

JO - European Journal of Public Health

JF - European Journal of Public Health

SN - 1101-1262

IS - 3

ER -