Affiliations: [a] Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
| [b] Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri–Kansas City, School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, USA
| [c] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Kansas School of Medicine, KansasCity, KS, USA
| [d] Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Orthopedics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Kimberly C. Hartman, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA. Tel.: +1 816 3023970; E-mail: kchartman@cmh.edu.
Abstract: PURPOSE:To determine whether adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) initiate and are up-to-date with the human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization series compared to adolescents in the general population. METHODS:Data on initiation and up-to-date status of the HPV series were collected on adolescents with CP aged 13–17 years old (n = 74) via retrospective medical record review and compared to 616 age-matched peers from the National Immunization Survey, Teen 2019. Analysis by gender, Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS) level, and ambulatory status was performed in the CP group. RESULTS:Adolescents with CP were three times less likely to start (p < 0.001) and two times less likely to be up-to-date (p = 0.004) with the HPV immunization series compared to age-matched peers. When the HPV immunization series was initiated in adolescents with CP, these adolescents were as likely to complete the series (p = 0.400), with 83.3% being up-to-date. In those with CP, there was no statistical difference in status of the HPV immunization series when comparing gender, GMFCS level, or ambulatory status. CONCLUSION:Adolescents with CP were less likely to start the HPV immunization series; however, they were as likely to be up-to-date with the series if it was initiated. This presents an opportunity for pediatric physiatrists to help reduce the disparity.
Keywords: Cerebral palsy, human papillomavirus, vaccination, immunization, pediatric, cancer prevention
