Sexual Orientation Identity Disparities in Awareness and Initiation of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
Authors: Madeline Sterling
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2015)

Letters15 December 2015Sexual Orientation Identity Disparities in Awareness and Initiation of the Human Papillomavirus VaccineMadeline Sterling, MD, MPHMadeline Sterling, MD, MPHFrom New York Presbyterian–Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L15-5182 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Agénor and colleagues' study (1) is one of the first to examine the association between sexual identity and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among adolescent and young adult women by using a large, national probability sample and a validated measure of sexual orientation. The results suggest that lesbians and bisexual women are less likely to initiate HPV vaccination than heterosexual women. Unfortunately, this discrepancy highlights further disparities in our health care system for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning persons.Low rates of HPV vaccination among lesbian and bisexual women have been described in the literature as a ...References1. Agénor M, Peitzmeier S, Gordon AR, Haneuse S, Potter JE, Austin SB. Sexual orientation identity disparities in awareness and initiation of the human papillomavirus vaccine among U.S. women and girls: a national survey. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:99-106. [PMID: 25961737]. doi:10.7326/M14-2108 LinkGoogle Scholar2. McRee AL, Katz ML, Paskett ED, Reiter PL. HPV vaccination among lesbian and bisexual women: findings from a national survey of young adults. Vaccine. 2014;32:4736-42. [PMID: 25038312] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Marrazzo JM, Stine K, Koutsky LA. Genital human papillomavirus infection in women who have sex with women: a review. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000;183:770-4. [PMID: 10992207] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Joyce T, Bauer T, Minkoff H, Kaestner R. Welfare reform and the perinatal health and health care use of Latino women in California, New York City, and Texas. Am J Public Health. 2001;91:1857-64. [PMID: 11684616] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Holman DM, Benard V, Roland KB, Watson M, Liddon N, Stokley S. Barriers to human papillomavirus vaccination among US adolescents: a systematic review of the literature. JAMA Pediatr. 2014;168:76-82. [PMID: 24276343] doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.2752 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From New York Presbyterian–Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOf InterestForms.do?msNum=L15-0474. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoSexual Orientation Identity Disparities in Awareness and Initiation of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Among U.S. Women and Girls Madina Agénor , Sarah Peitzmeier , Allegra R. Gordon , Sebastien Haneuse , Jennifer E. Potter , and S. Bryn Austin Sexual Orientation Identity Disparities in Awareness and Initiation of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Madina Agénor , Jennifer E. Potter , and S. Bryn Austin Metrics 15 December 2015Volume 163, Issue 12Page: 960KeywordsBisexualsHealth careHealth care providersHealth insuranceHeterosexualsHuman papillomavirusHuman sexual behaviorSexual identityVaccinesYoung adults ePublished: 15 December 2015 Issue Published: 15 December 2015 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2015 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...