American Journal of Preventive Medicine
March 2016 Volume 50, Issue 3, p295-426, e65-e90
http://www.ajpmonline.org/current

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Research Articles
Sex of Sexual Partners and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among U.S. Girls and Women
Madina Agénor, Heather L. McCauley, Sarah M. Peitzmeier, Sebastien Haneuse, Allegra R. Gordon, Jennifer Potter, S. Bryn Austin
p318–327
Published online: November 12 2015
Abstract
Introduction
Girls and women are at risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer from male and female sexual partners throughout the life course. However, no study has assessed how sex of sexual partners, a dimension of sexual orientation, may relate to HPV vaccination among girls and women.
Methods
In 2014, data from the 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth were used to conduct logistic regression analyses estimating the relationship between sex of lifetime and past-year sexual partners and HPV vaccine awareness and initiation among U.S. girls and women aged 15–25 years (N=3,253).
Results
Among U.S. girls and women aged 15–25 years, the prevalence of HPV vaccine awareness and HPV vaccine initiation was 84.4% and 28.5%, respectively. Adjusting for sociodemographic factors, participants with only female past-year sexual partners had significantly lower odds of initiating HPV vaccination relative to those with only male past-year sexual partners (OR=0.16, 95% CI=0.05, 0.55). Similarly, respondents with no lifetime (OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.46, 0.92) or past-year (OR=0.69, 95% CI=0.50, 0.94) sexual partners had significantly lower adjusted odds of HPV vaccine initiation compared with those with only male sexual partners. No difference was apparent in the odds of initiating HPV vaccination between participants with male and female sexual partners and those with only male sexual partners.
Conclusions
Medical and public health professionals should ensure that girls and women with only female or no sexual partners are included in HPV vaccine education and promotion efforts.