Although HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, only about 50% of people have received their full series of HPV vaccinations. Learn how healthcare providers can incentivize more young people to get their Gardasil 9 vaccination. 

What is HPV?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Because it spreads through skin-to-skin contact, most people will acquire HPV at some point in life. While many remain asymptomatic, others manifest warts on their hands, feet, genitals, or anus. The immune system is usually capable of clearing warts on its own, but in some cases, they may require a series of invasive surgeries to remove. Although warts can cause serious problems for one’s mental and emotional wellbeing, they are otherwise harmless, albeit incredibly contagious.

Why should I get the HPV vaccine?

High-risk strains of HPV cause cancer in both women and men. According to the World Health Organization, HPV causes 70% of cervical cancers and pre-cancerous cervical lesions. There were an estimated 570,000 new cases of cervical cancer in 2018 and an estimated 311,000 deaths in the same year, a mortality rate of over 54%. HPV is also a leading cause of anal cancer, penile cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, and possibly mouth cancer. 

Despite being the most common sexually transmitted infection, there is no test for HPV.  Cancer-causing strains of HPV show no signs of infection until serious health problems occur. This is why Gardasil 9, the HPV vaccine, is so crucial. Gardasil 9 prevents most strains of cervical cancer, anal cancer, and throat cancer as well as most cases of genital warts. Despite the overwhelming benefits of Gardasil 9, only 48.6% of American adolescents are up-to-date with their HPV vaccinations. 

Parental Opposition: A Barrier to the HPV Vaccine

Parental opposition is a major barrier to getting more adolescents vaccinated against HPV. Many parents are uncomfortable with the thought that their children are on the cusp of becoming sexually active. In this state of denial, they may avoid addressing the subject and neglect to provide readily available protections against sexually transmitted infections. 

Due to this overwhelming incidence of parental negligence, some organizations are empowering young people to put their health into their own hands through innovative social marketing campaigns. Likewise, custom Condom Trifolds are an effective way to disseminate information while providing your community with the tools they need in order to maintain their sexual wellbeing. Our HPV Condom Trifold design is free to customize with your organization’s own logo and contact information.

At Health Merch, we specialize in custom products that connect healthcare and communities. Use products like our custom tri-fold condom packages or other outreach products that matter like hand sanitizer, custom face masks, pull-string bags and more to promote your healthcare services within your community and beyond. Kickstart your outreach campaign today at www.HealthMerch.com.